Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 January 2026
429. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date on the introduction of a permanent annual cost of disability support payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2938/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra430. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will introduce any immediate financial measures to address the increased cost of living faced by people in receipt of disability allowance; the step he intends to take to reduce the gap between current disability allowance income supports and the at-risk-of-poverty threshold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2939/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra431. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has completed any updated analysis on the additional, recurring costs faced by people with disabilities; if he will publish the evidence base informing future disability-related income supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2940/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra432. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to review the core rate of disability allowance in light of inflation, increased living costs, and the findings of the Cost of Disability Report; the timeline for any such review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2941/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra436. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will introduce an emergency winter payment for people with disabilities in 2026, in light of the withdrawal of once-off supports such as the €400 disability support grant and energy credits in Budget 2026; if he has assessed the impact of these withdrawn supports on people with disabilities who may now be up to €1,400 worse off; and if he will reinstate targeted energy credits for those at heightened risk of energy poverty, pending the introduction of a permanent Cost of Disability payment in 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3137/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra446. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of all analysis his Department has carried out on the introduction of a permanent cost of disability support payment; and to provide an update on the progress his Department has made on introduction of such a payment. [3314/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 429, 430, 431, 432, 436 and 446 together.
The Government recognises the significant additional costs that disabled people can face in their daily lives and is committed improving outcomes for disabled people by introducing permanent measures.
Over the last five budgets the Government has progressively improved payment rates and income disregards for disabled people. The weekly payment rates for Disability Allowance have increased by €51 in that time. The earnings disregard has increased by almost 38% since Budget 2021 from €120 to €165 currently.
The Programme for Government includes a range of commitments to support disabled people. This includes a commitment to introduce a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment with a view to incrementally increasing this payment. These commitments will be advanced over the lifetime of the Government, having regard to the overall policy and budgetary context.
Under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 my Department will lead a Strategic Focus Network on the Cost of Disability with the involvement of other relevant Departments and Agencies. I have asked my officials to expedite 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 in relation to this initiative. The views of disabled people and all relevant research, including the Indecon and ESRI reports will be given due consideration as we progress this work.
In Budget 2026, I provided for a €1.15 billion package of new social protection measures. This contained significant targeted measures to support disabled people, including:
• A €10 increase in the weekly rates of payment, bringing the personal rates of payment to €254 per week from this month.
• A Christmas bonus double payment to all persons getting a long-term disability payment, paid in December 2025.
• The highest ever increases in the Child Support Payment – an increase of €16 to €78 for children aged 12 or over, and of €8 to €58 for children under 12 from this month.
• A €5 increase in the Fuel Allowance, bringing it to €38 per week from this month.
• People moving from Disability Allowance or Blind Pension to take up work will be able to retain their Fuel Allowance payment for five years.
• People getting Disability Allowance or Blind Pension who have children will be eligible for Back to Work Family Dividend when taking up employment and moving off those payments.
• Expansion of the Wage Subsidy Scheme to people who acquire a disability while in employment and to those who transfer from Invalidity Pension to Partial Capacity Benefit.
Wage Subsidy Scheme rates will be increased from April.
The Government also allocated €3.8 billion to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality for disability services in 2026, including funding for Community Based Specialist Disability Services.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
