Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In light of the restrictions to the pandemic unemployment payment announced earlier, I ask the Minister to urgently publish details of payments to those involved in the arts and entertainment sectors, including people working front of house and in supporting roles, and those who will be affected by the introduction of 50% capacity at indoor events. This will be a major hammer blow financially for families in the run-up to Christmas. Any security the Minister can offer them between now and then should be done as a matter of urgency.

The Bill we are discussing deals with a vast array of issues. I will specifically raise an issue that is consistently raised with me, which is the cost of living with a disability and the means test associated with a disability payment. In advance of International Day of Persons with Disabilities today, I asked the Minister a parliamentary question regarding the removal of the means test for the blind pension and the disability allowance. With due respect, the Minister's reply was a merry dance around the topic but we got to the punchline after following up with the Ceann Comhairle's office. The Minister stated she was not considering replacing the means test for those in receipt of disability allowance. Her reply also stated that, according to the 2016 census, 364,252 persons of working age are living with a disability, although some of those are under 18. It is estimated that a universal or non-means tested payment would more than double the current expenditure in this area per annum.

Some 40% of people with disabilities are at risk of poverty and social exclusion, according to the European Disability Forum’s human rights report. Since 2010, the situation faced by people who live with disability has worsened in 11 EU countries, of which Ireland is one. I ask the Minister to consider publishing the calculations behind the estimate contained in her reply to my parliamentary question. When can we expect the report commissioned in 2018 on the cost of disability to be published? We know people living with disability have significantly more challenges when it comes to educational prospects. We know there are additional challenges in accessing employment and significant extra costs for households where a member of the family has a disability. I ask the Minister to please answer those two questions, either this evening or by follow-up.

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