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 is leading a Strategic Focus Network Summit on the Cost of Disability. While it is led by my Department, it includes other Government departments in this cross-government endeavour, and also includes disabled people and their advocates.
This work, will inform the approach to be taken in delivering on the Programme for Government commitment. I have asked my officials to prioritise this work with a view to bringing a proposal to Government in the first half of this year.
My officials have held bi-lateral meetings with a number of organisations to discuss the structure and content of the Strategic Focus Network Summit. These in person meetings were held with National Disability Authority, As I Am, Family Carers Ireland and Disability Federation of Ireland in Dublin in October 2025.
The Cost of Disability Strategic Focus Network was the main Agenda item at the meeting of my Department's Disability Consultative Forum, on December 2nd last. This was a hybrid meeting, taking place on-line and in Dublin. The organisations that attended were Chime, Disability Federation Ireland, Inclusion Ireland, Independent People with Disabilities, Irish Society for Autism, Irish Wheelchair Association, National Advocacy Service, National Disability Authority, Rehab and Vision Ireland. 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 took place on Friday, 23rd January. At the Network's request, the meeting was held on-line. All five of the Network member organisations were represented, namely, the Irish Deaf Society, the National Platform of Self-Advocates, Disabled Women Ireland, AsIAm and Independent Living Movement Ireland.
Discussions at these meetings covered issues in relation to the Strategic Focus Network Summit as well as cost of disability issues more generally.
I will be launching a public consultation process on the Strategic Focus Network summit in the coming weeks, and a follow-up consultations with the Disabled Persons Organisation's Network is being planned.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
