Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. It is interesting there have been eight meetings between both Departments, or at least that the Department of Social Protection was in attendance at seven of the eight meetings that were held. That is good news. It is to be hoped progress is being made because it can have a devastating effect on people with disabilities. Many questions need to be answered regarding other artists; those are for another day.

The focus today is specifically on artists with disabilities who are concerned that if this scheme is rolled out, they will be sidelined or discriminated against by the potential that a means test or income disregard does not take full account of their circumstances. A suspension of the means test for the period of the three years of the pilot would probably be a better approach in their instances rather than an income disregard.

See this speech in context