The Government's own cost of disability report indicates that having a disability costs a person between €9,000 and €13,000 extra annually. Ireland ranks as one of the lowest in Europe in terms of the employment gap and the number of people employed in this regard. The rates of people with disabilities at risk of or in poverty are through the roof. The question is whether the Government is going to use budget 2024 to address the costs of being disabled.

Many things need to be done. We need investment in housing and ratification of the optional protocol. Specifically, though, I wish to ask about the disability allowance, the blind pension and the invalidity pension. During Covid-19, the Government recognised that the minimum anyone required to survive-----

I thank the Deputy. The time is up.

-----was €350, with the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP.

Please, Deputy, the time is up.

Will the Government increase these payments to €350 weekly?

As the Deputy knows, we are in the cycle now where we are putting our focus on budget 2024. Many meetings will be held between all the various Ministers. I speak today on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Anne Rabbitte, who has special responsibility for disabilities. She has done Trojan work over the last three years and has significantly increased the budget in this regard.

Turning to the Deputy's question, a €500 lump sum payment to people receiving disability allowance, the blind pension or the invalidity pension has already been forthcoming in response to the cost-of-living crisis. I can guarantee, though, that every Minister, including my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, will do the very best they can in the context of budget 2024 for people living with disabilities.