Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This report on the cost of disability has implications right across Government and various Departments with regard to things such as access to services, healthcare, transport, mobility grants, the housing adaptation grants available through the local authorities and so on.

There is a lot there. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, is leading on the whole-of-government response through the disability inclusion strategy steering group, which she chairs. In fairness, there is no better woman than Deputy Rabbitte to do that job because she is very passionate and a very strong advocate for disabled persons. She is hammering on with that. In my Department, we are looking at the recommendations around the cost of the disability payment. The report recommends a tiered approach to disability payments. This will be a major review. The Deputy and I both know people who have profound disabilities and who might never be able to work. I honestly believe they should get a higher level of payment than a person with a more moderate disability who might be able to do a bit of work. We have to be more targeted in our approach. I will be publishing that straw-man report.

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