Disability payment proposals
Mick Barry challenges reported proposals to restrict disability payments; the Taoiseach says no Government decision has been made and reaffirms support for employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
This morning, The Irish Times reported a briefing note prepared for the Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar, suggests the qualifying age for disability allowance be raised from 16 years to 18 years. It states the reason for doing so is that young people with disabilities might be considered as a cohort in the broad definition of jobseekers. Last Saturday, the same newspaper reported on a briefing paper sent to the Minister, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, suggesting linking disability payments to an applicant's ability to work.
The Taoiseach is well aware that the Government has indicated a plan in the programme for Government to introduce a fit-for-work labour activation scheme aimed at people with disabilities and people who have suffered serious illnesses. Despite the denial of the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, in the House last week that this is in any way similar to the British Tory Government's work capability assessment - a scheme which is now being investigated by the United Nations on human rights grounds after more than 2,000 people died within six weeks of being declared fit for work - it smells very much like it. It is clear that a package of measures concerning these issues is coming down the track. Can the Taoiseach give the House an indication as to when that might be? When will we see legislation on these issues?
Comment on this
One gets many briefing notes in Departments, as Deputy Barry is aware. No memo has come to Government from the Minister for Social Protection in that regard. We launched the comprehensive strategy for work for people with disabilities some time ago. People with disabilities are as entitled to jobs as anybody else. We would like to see them happy in their work and that the work in which they are engaged pays. This has nothing to do with the other scheme to which the Deputy refers. In that sense, briefing notes are one thing but decisions by Government are another. We want to incentivise and encourage as many people as possible to engage in work that pays and in which they are happy, irrespective of their category.