Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2026
489. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18034/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is important to note that while eligibility criteria for different schemes and supports offered by the state can differ, in broad terms we do not define disability by way of reference to individualised impairments or medicalised diagnoses. The Disability Act 2005 instead interprets disability as meaning a “substantial restriction in the capacity of the person to carry on a profession, business or occupation in the State or to participate in social or cultural life in the State by reason of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual disability”.
This definition takes a broadly functional approach to disability, recognising that an individual's specific circumstances, societal barriers, and medical history will all have an impact on the extent to which a person is or is not "disabled". This is in line with the social model approach to disability set out in the UNCRPD. It also provides a more flexible definition to practitioners where specialised health needs arise that is not tied to a prescriptive list of conditions - which runs the risk of inadvertently excluding people from recognition or supports.
Under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2021, employers are obliged to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities.
Reasonable accommodations help alleviate a substantial disadvantage for a person with a disability. This can be an adjustment to how a job is done or to the work environment. Reasonable accommodations should be provided for potential and existing employees, including those who acquire a disability while in employment.
Specific issues relating to diabetes as a medical issue lie outside of my Department’s remit and fall instead under the remit of the Department of Health. Entitlements and eligibility related to disability payments and tax benefits lie with the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Finance respectively.
