Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 July 2023
103. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the consultation process as part of her Department’s work on addressing the cost of disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33414/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue of the cost of disability is much discussed at present. It is a concept that is being increasingly developed. In March, the Minister, in response to a parliamentary question, stated the work on the straw man was at an advanced stage and widescale public consultation was planned. In May, the situation was similar. Where are things at in this regard? How does the Minister intend to progress the issue?
I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. The Indecon cost of disability report was prepared following extensive consultation with disabled people and disability stakeholders. It is one of the largest disability surveys ever undertaken in the State. The report established that additional costs of disability run across a number of policy areas, including housing, equipment, aids and appliances, care and assistance, mobility, transport, communications, medicines, employment and income support. Based on this, one of the key conclusions of the report was that a multi-faceted whole-of-government approach is required to address the cost of disability. It is for this reason the Government decided the report and actions on foot of the report should be considered and monitored by the national disability inclusion strategy steering group under the remit of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. A new national cross-government strategy to succeed the national disability inclusion strategy is currently being developed by all Departments and agencies. The cost of disability report is an important element of the evidence base that will inform the scope and focus of that strategy.
My Department has committed under the roadmap for social inclusion to develop and consult on a straw man proposal for the restructuring of long-term disability payments. While findings of the cost of disability report will feed into the straw man, it will also meet commitments made in the Make Work Pay and the Pathways to Work reports. Work on the straw man is at an advanced stage and I expect to bring it forward for publication shortly. I am committed to carrying out a wider consultation process with all stakeholders and advocacy groups following publication. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy. What the stakeholders and various groups say is, "Nothing about us without us." I will engage with them extensively.
I thank the Minister. She provided a bit more insight there. Perhaps she can provide more as we proceed. There is no doubt but that the challenges faced by people with disabilities are enormous. The survey on income and living conditions includes a category of people who are unable to work due to long-standing health problems. This cohort substantially consists of disabled people. One in five of that group is living in consistent poverty, compared with 5.3% in the general population. One in three is at risk of poverty, compared with 13.1% in the general population. The group has one of the lowest rates of disposable income, at approximately €18,000. As the Minister outlined, there are many additional costs, including for matters that may not previously have been accounted for, such as mobility aids and so on, but there is also the simple cost of being able to operate in society. There is the cost of socialising and that of accessing education when it is much further away than it is for other people. Similarly, there is the cost of employment and other things. The Minister stated that she hopes to publish the report shortly. Will the further consultation with stakeholders take place before or after its publication?
My plan is to publish the straw man proposal and then sit down with stakeholders to get their views on it. We want an open conversation. It worked well in the past when we sat down. The straw man proposal is just about putting out some ideas. We will take from it and add to it but we will have that conversation. I take the points raised by the Deputy.
There will always be a debate on targeted supports compared with universal supports. Universal supports sometimes mean taking resources away from those who need them most. We are doing a big piece of work on significant reforms to the disability payment as a follow-on from the cost of disability report. One of the key recommendations in the report related to targeting supports better. For example, everyone on disability allowance gets exactly the same flat-rate payment of €220, regardless of the level of disability. The cost of disability report recommends tiered payments such that, for example, a person with a profound disability who might never be able to work would get a higher payment than would be received by a person with a moderate or mild disability who could do some work. I will be publishing the straw man proposal. This will bring generational reforms into the disability payments.
I take the Minister's point in general and philosophical terms regarding targeted compared with universal supports but very few people on disability payments are on very high incomes. Given the current thresholds for the disability allowance, there are many people on modest incomes who benefit little or not at all. That needs to be examined separate from the cost of disability piece. I am glad the straw man proposal is progressing. If the Minister can provide more insight on what she means by "shortly", which is a very broad word in this place, that would be appreciated. Will it be published in the third quarter of the year? I think the Minister is agreeing that it will. Will there be an opportunity for submissions, as well as the consultations and conversations organised by the Minister? Will people be able to submit documents?
It will be in the third quarter of the year. It is at an advanced stage. I am happy to hear the views of the Deputy on the matter because we want to get this right. For the first time, I will be considering tiered payments for disability. It is the right way to go. It is clear that a person with a profound disability needs more support than a person who may be able to work. We have the reasonable accommodation fund. I am doing a consultation on that as well. It provides help to employers, allows people who have disabilities to get into the workforce and assists with adapting the workplace to suit their needs.
There is a lot of work going on at the minute. We are also looking at consultation on the wage subsidy scheme because that is an important financial support for employers who hire people with disabilities. We are taking a number of different approaches and at the end of the day, we want to see people who are on disability payments getting the best support possible, as well as the supports to help them to maybe do part-time work because, as we know, it is good for them to get out into the workforce. I will leave it at that.
