Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The issue of income support is extremely important, but so is the issue that children with a disability should be facilitated to remain in education and training, particularly as teenagers, and then, hopefully, move on to employment. We must consider how best to spend funding for families with children with a disability and how to provide services and for good quality training and educational opportunities that will give those children a good chance of participation in the labour force, whether part-time or full-time.

The work and contributions of the organisations I listed in my response, representing families and children with disabilities, was particularly valuable. Based on their advice, we are currently in the process of updating the different systems. For instance, people now get three months notice of any kind of review and a further period of two months before implementation. We have also taken advice from people who have made submissions to the review group with regard to the design of the systems and their application. I am very grateful the organisations involved have contributed their expertise and knowledge to the Department. We will continue to commit to significant funding, but with the object of enhancing both income and services, including education and training of the best quality we can provide.

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