Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 57, 69, 73, 78 and 81 together.

There have been no cuts whatsoever to disability allowance or to any of the Department's other disability schemes. This is borne out by the increasing numbers of claimants and payments. It should be noted that all the Department's schemes are demand-led and are not budget capped. A total of €0.82 billion has been spent on disability allowances to the end of September 2012 and there were just over 103,000 recipients as at the end of August 2012.

Expenditure on the disability allowance in 2011 was over €1.09 billion in respect of 102,866 recipients. There are more people receiving disability allowance this year and we are spending more money on it this year. There have been no cuts whatsoever.

Following budget 2012, I requested the advisory group on tax and social welfare to examine and report on the policy objectives underpinning the budgetary proposals relating to the disability allowance and domiciliary care allowance. The group was established last year. Its report is being finalised and it has not yet been submitted to me.

I am conscious that the budget 2012 measures concerning disability allowance and the domiciliary care allowance gave rise to concerns about the impact on families of people with disabilities, most notably in the case of families of children and young adults with profound disabilities. These very real concerns are being taken into account by the advisory group. When the group reverts to me with its report on these proposals, I, together with my Government colleagues, will reflect carefully on the findings. However, it should be noted that the payment of disability allowance at such a young age may give rise to issues within families as to the control and use of the payment. The Deputy will agree on this point. The view has been expressed over a long period that it is appropriate and proper that income in respect of a child go to the parent rather than having the child receive a social welfare payment at 16.

The number of claims decided on the disability allowance scheme in the first nine months of 2012 was 19,702. Of these, 7,513 allowances, or 38%, were awarded, and 11,170, or 57%, were refused. The balance of claims was withdrawn by the applicants. The refusal rate has been broadly consistent over the past three years, with comparable rates of 58% in 2011 and 54% in 2010. The refusal rate in any year reflects the extent to which the applications made meet the qualifying conditions for the scheme.

In all cases, the applicant has the right to have his decision reviewed by a deciding officer, or he can appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office. The overall trend of disability allowance appeals being allowed or partly allowed by that office has been reducing over the past six years, having peaked at 49% in 2009. I am satisfied that each case is fully considered and adjudicated on its individual merits at all stages of the decision-making and appeals process.

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