Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 October 2020
290. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase the basic rate of all disability and illness payments or provide a special Covid-19 top-up for the duration of the pandemic in view of the additional costs associated with the Covid-19 pandemic (details supplied). [30023/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability. It is important to note that entitlement to these supports is not contingent on the nature of the illness/disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.
Apart from these income supports, my Department also provides a support under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme. The Department may make an exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income.
ENPs are administered by the Community Welfare Service (CWS) of the Department and are payable at the discretion of a CWS officer taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case.
As the Deputy will be aware, changes to the various disability and illness income supports provided , including rate increases, can only be considered in an overall budgetary context and in the light of available financial resources.
The provision of medical supplies such as PPE is a matter for the HSE and the Department of Health.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
