1934. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions his Department has carried out following the Cost of Disability-Strategic Focus Network Summit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56696/26]

2041. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline the actions his Department has carried out following the Cost of Disability - Strategic Focus Network Summit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57434/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1934 and 2041 together.

Supporting disabled people is a key priority for the Government. Both the Programme for Government and the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025 to 2030 include significant commitments in this regard including a commitment to introduce a permanent annual cost of disability payment.

Under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, which was developed with significant input from Disability groups and advocates, it was agreed to establish a Strategic Focus Network Summit on the Cost of Disability. Although led by my Department, it includes other Government departments in this cross-government endeavour, as well as disabled people and their advocates.

A public consultation process on how a cost of disability payment can best be delivered was launched on Friday, February 20th and ran for just over six weeks until Tuesday April 7th,

The over 1,100 submissions helped inform the agenda for the Strategic Focus Network Summit on the Cost of Disability, which I hosted in the Aviva Stadium on the 13th of May. It was attended by 150 people in person, with approximately the same number joining online.

The Summit was also attended by members of the Oireachtas together with senior 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 the delivery of a solution will involve a range of Departments and agencies. This whole of government approach is important as addressing these costs is not simply a matter of income supports alone. Improvements in the delivery of, and access to, key services are also needed.

The Summit and the submissions made through the consultation process will help inform the approach to be taken in delivering on the Programme for Government commitment.

On 16 July, I presented a briefing paper on the Summit to the Strategy's Delivery and Monitoring Committee which is chaired by the Taoiseach, and attended by other Government Ministers as well as Disabled Person's Organisations and representatives of Civil Society Groups. This paper will be published in accessible formats as soon as possible.

We are also continuing to engage with disability groups. A specific workshop on disability matters was hosted as part of the National Economic Dialogue and I hosted the Pre-Budget Forum on 1 July where we had a session on issues relating to disability and caring. All of these engagements together with the output of the Strategic Focus Network will inform the approach that we, across Government, take in Budget 2027.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.