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

11 o’clock

The Indecon cost of disability report identified that the additional cost of disability is a wider issue than income supports and crosses a number of areas of expenditure. These include housing, equipment, aids and appliances, care and assistance services, mobility, transport, communications, medicines, and additional living expenses. The cost of disability can be defined as the amount it costs a person with a disability to achieve the same standard of living as a person without a disability. There is not a single typical cost of disability. Rather, there is a spectrum from low to high additional costs, depending on individual circumstances.

The findings of the research have implications for many areas of public policy and extend beyond the remit of the Department of Social Protection and, therefore, a whole-of-government perspective is needed to address the cost of disability. That is why the Government referred the report to the national disability inclusion strategy steering group, which Is chaired by the Minister of State with responsibility for disability. This group comprises relevant Departments, agencies, a disability stakeholder group and people with disabilities. The group will consider and monitor recommended actions required by the various Departments biannually.

A number of the measures I introduced as part of budget 2022 in support of people with disabilities and their carers address some of the findings of the report and will go towards alleviating some of the costs experienced. These include a combination of increases to income disregards, core weekly payment rates and supports for employers. My Department is also committed to the development of, and consultation on, a straw man proposal for the restructuring of long-term disability payments. The main objective is to simplify the system and remove anomalies. The straw man will also take account of the cost of disability report when developing future options as part of this work.

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