Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 September 2026
110. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will examine whether appropriate supports are in place for cancer patients in view of the recent report by the Irish Cancer Society showing income loss and significant costs incurred by patients. [69097/26]
View answerI fully understand the financial challenges associated with such a diagnosis and I recently met with the Irish Cancer Society to discuss their recent report and the supports that my Department can provide.
My Department provides a range of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability, including Disability Allowance, Partial Capacity Benefit, and Invalidity Pension. It is important to note that entitlement to these supports is generally not contingent on the nature of the illness or disability but on the extent to which it impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.
Every application for the Department’s schemes are individually assessed, based on the medical information provided by healthcare providers and the customer.
With regards to household energy costs, the Household Benefits package and Fuel Allowance payment provide much needed assistance to qualifying household with their energy costs. The qualifying conditions for these schemes are designed to ensure that those who qualify for the schemes are more vulnerable to energy poverty including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.
It is important to note that Additional Needs Payments are available through my Department for people who have essential expenses, which they cannot meet from their own resources, including people who face difficulties in meeting fuel bills. In addition, a Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people that have exceptional heating costs due to ill health, infirmity or a medical condition and are unable to meet those costs out of household income. Heating Supplement can be paid throughout the full year and not just for the Fuel Allowance season.
