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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Disability support consultation

Summary

Deputy McAuliffe urged action on disability supports and the need for a budget response after the Green Paper process ended. The Minister of State said the Minister would consult with stakeholder groups again this year.

That is impossible.

Comment on this

Recently, I met the Disability Federation of Ireland and the Irish Wheelchair Association following the decision by the Minister for Social Protection to end the Green Paper process and to carry out further consultation. We are heading into a budget. The ESRI has stated on the last two occasions that we have kept ahead of inflation by combining core increases and once-off payments but we will get to a point by which we phase out once-off payments. The disability support grant, which was introduced in 2022, goes, in some way, to try to address the real cost of disability. I urge the Minister, Deputy McEntee, the Minister for Social Protection and all of the Government to consider what can be done to retain that disability support grant payment in advance of a full consultation and decisions around the future of a Green Paper process. It something which was welcomed in 2022 as an indication of the real cost of disability. I ask the Government to continue to support it.

Comment on this

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Like every other year, the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, will be holding consultation with all the various groupings. She plans on having a consultation again this year. Like every year, she has been very open and supportive and I have no doubt she will be the same this year again.

Comment on this