Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is important that there be engagement with those organisations on the ground and the report has disabled people to the fore. Can the Minister give us any additional information on the straw man proposal and on whether there is a timeline for that? It is so important. The cost of disability report was published nearly a year ago. It is not the first report to say that a cost of disability payment needs to be introduced. I understand the lump sum payments will make some difference but they relate to the cost of living. They are not to recognise disability as per the cost of disability report unless that is something that the Minister sees continuing on as a cost of disability.

I assume the other schemes such as disability allowance and invalidity pension will all be part of the straw man proposal. Can the Minister confirm that? The means test in particular causes great difficulty for an awful lot of people living with a disability.

See this speech in context