Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for his amendment. The programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce a permanent annual cost-of-disability support payment, with a view to incrementally increasing this payment. We have begun making progress on this but it is vital that we get this payment right. This involves taking time to engage with disabled people and their representative groups on the issue. We know that addressing the cost of disability is not solely about income. It is about access to services and other supports. That is why a whole-of-government approach is required.

Under the recently published national humans rights strategy for disabled people, my Department is leading a strategic focus network on the cost of disability. The delivery and monitoring structures of this strategy have been codesigned with stakeholders to ensure appropriate oversight and accountability. The first programme plan of actions for 2025-26 will be published shortly. This will set out: the key priority actions under each commitment; who will deliver them; a timeframe for delivery; and the key performance indicators for each one. Reporting on all of these programme plans will be carried out every six months. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Disability Matters will function as part of the broader political and democratic oversight of that process. At the heart of this approach is that at all stages the views and opinions of disabled people, their organisations and relevant stakeholders will be central to delivery.

My officials have already held meetings with a number of organisations to discuss the possible structure and content of the strategic focus network on the cost of disability. I am confident that the robust delivery and monitoring structures around this will provide effective political and democratic oversight of progress. I will be meeting a number of organisations at the next meeting of my Department's disability consultative forum on 2 December, when the cost-of-disability strategic focus network will be the main agenda item. I have asked my officials to have this work completed ahead of next summer before we begin discussions on budget 2027, with a view that I can bring a proposal to Government in this space.