87. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will examine the impact of inflation and cost of living on the real value of the carer’s allowance and disability allowance, particularly for recipients who experience a different cost of living due to the cost of their disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46201/26]

The Government is committed to improving the position of disabled people and carers. That is why the Programme for Government includes a range of commitments to support disabled people and carers. These include a commitment to the removal of the carers allowance means test, and to the introduction of a permanent annual cost of disability payment. These commitments will be advanced over the lifetime of the Government, having regard to the overall policy and budgetary context.

In Budget 2026, I provided for a €1.15 billion package of new social protection measures. This brings expenditure in respect of disabled people and their carers to just under €6 billion per annum.

In line with our Programme for Government commitment to protect core welfare rates while ensuring that available resources are targeted at vulnerable groups who are unable to work such as carers, people with disabilities and pensioners. Core welfare rates were protected in Budget 2026, with an above inflation increase of €10 per week in the maximum weekly personal rates of payment. Additional supports were provided such as the largest ever increase in the Child Support Payment, the largest ever increase in the income disregard for Carer’s Allowance, and increases in the rates of Fuel Allowance, Domiciliary Care Allowance, among others.

We also know that many people including disabled people and their families, are facing higher energy costs at the moment. That is why we recently announced a €250 million energy relief package. As part of this package, the Fuel Allowance season was extended by an additional four weeks. As a result, the 470,000 households in receipt of the Fuel Allowance, which include disabled people, received additional financial support of €38 per week until May 1st, totalling €152.

In addition, the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, which was developed with significant input from disability groups and advocates, includes a commitment to a Strategic Focus Network Summit on the Cost of Disability, emphasising the cross-government nature of the issue.

Ahead of the Summit I ran a public consultation process on how a cost of disability payment can best be delivered. I am very pleased that there was an exceptional response with over 1,100 submissions received. I hosted the Summit in the Aviva Stadium on the 13th of May 2026. It was an in-person and on-line event attended by over 300 people, including many people with disabilities, Disabled Persons' Organisations and other advocacy groups as well as representatives of many Government Departments. The Summit was also attended by members of the Oireachtas together with Government Ministers including the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, and the Minister of State for Disability and the Minister of State at the Department of Transport. This attendance indicates that while the work on the cost of disability has been led by my Department the delivery of a solution will involve a range of Departments and agencies.

The consultation process, and the Summit will inform next steps, including the measures that may be taken as part of Budget 2027. In addition, we are continuing to engage with stakeholders through their Pre-Budget submissions and at the Pre-Budget Forum which I will host on 1 July.

In addition, the cross-Government strategy to reduce poverty, the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2026-2030, has a committed action to explore the costs and benefits of benchmarking all core social welfare rates (which would include Carers and Disability Allowances), in order to insulate those impacted by poverty from cyclical economic fluctuations and provide long-term income adequacy.

For anyone who needs immediate assistance, the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme is available to them now. Under the scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.

The Department continues to keep the range of supports under review any changes will be considered in the overall budgetary context.