Roderic O'Gorman
Question:429. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department plans to bring forward proposals on a cost of disability payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5219/26]
View answerThursday, 22 January 2026
Questions (429)
Written answers
The Department of Social Protection provides a range of income support payments for disabled people. There are currently approximately 231,000 recipients of disability income support payments, with estimated expenditure of €3.24 billion in 2025.
The Government recognises the significant additional costs that disabled people can face in their daily lives and is committed to improving outcomes for disabled people by introducing permanent measures.
That is why the Programme for Government includes a range of commitments to support disabled people. Our Programme for Government commitments will be advanced over the lifetime of the Government, having regard to the overall policy and budgetary context.
The Programme for Government commits to introducing a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment. In addition, under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, my Department established a Strategic Focus Network on the Cost of Disability. While it is led by my Department, it includes other Government departments in this cross-government endeavour, and will also include people with disabilities and their advocates.
The work of this network, which will include disabled people and their advocates, will inform the approach to be taken in delivering on the Programme for Government commitment. I have asked my officials to priorities this work with a view to bringing a proposal to Government in the first half of this year. Officials have held meetings with a number of organisations to discuss the possible structure and content of the Strategic Focus Network on the Cost of Disability.
My officials met with a number of organisations on 2nd December at my Department's Disability Consultative Forum, at which the Cost of Disability Strategic Focus Network was the main Agenda item. Officials from across government were also in attendance given that this is a whole of Government issue. A meeting with the Disabled Persons Organisation's network has been organised and that is due to take place on Friday, 23rd January.
The views of disabled people and all relevant research, such as the Indecon report and the more recent ESRI report, will be given due consideration by my Department when progressing this work.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.