Paul Murphy
Question:45. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will introduce a universal disability payment of at least €350 a week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18328/24]
View answerThursday, 25 April 2024
Questions (45)
Written answers
My Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability. These include contributory payments, based on PRSI contributions, such as Illness Benefit and Invalidity Pension, and non-contributory payments, based on a means test, such as Disability Allowance and Blind Pension.At an estimate, a non-means tested universal payment at €350 per week for every person with a disability would cost an additional €17 billion per year. This is based on there being roughly 1.1m people as per census 2022 reporting that they experienced at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent. Currently there are 220,000 people on our main disability payments, with combined spending for 2024 expected to be almost €3 billion.The Indecon Cost of Disability report highlighted that there is not a single typical ‘cost of disability’; rather there is a spectrum from low additional costs to extremely high extra costs of disability, depending on the individual circumstances of the person concerned. It also highlighted that the cost of disability is significantly broader than the income support system and includes housing, equipment, transport, education, medicines and care. The report therefore suggested the issue needs a whole-of-government response. The report did not propose a Cost of Disability payment. The report concluded that disability payments should be targeted to those most in need and who face the greatest additional cost of disability rather than spreading resources thinly. I am committed to addressing the cost of disability and improving outcomes for people with a disability. I announced a suite of measures to support disabled people in Budget 2024, including:
• €400 once-off payment for Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and Carer’s Support Grant recipients in November 2023 to address the high cost of living.
• €200 lump sum Living Alone Allowance payment.
• €300 lump sum Fuel Allowance payment.
• Christmas Bonus double payment to all persons getting a long-term disability payment.
• January Cost of Living Bonus double payment to all persons getting a long-term disability payment.
• €12 increase in the maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments from January 2024.
• Reduce the minimum weekly hours threshold for employers to avail of the Wage Subsidy Scheme from 21 to 15 hours from April 2024.
• Extension of Free Travel to people medically certified as unfit to drive.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.