Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government commits to reforming the disability allowance and addressing anomalies in the current means test. That commitment is vital and timely. One of my constituents - a wheelchair user with spina bifida and hydrocephalus - saw her weekly payments drop from €211 to just €36 per week when her partner changed jobs for marginally better pay to help support her. Not only that, but she has now been asked to repay €52,000 in back-dated disability allowance, dating back to when she first started receiving the payment at 16 years of age. It is nothing short of shocking and completely unacceptable. A system that penalises care, compassion and effort is a system in urgent need of reform. Will the Tánaiste outline how the current review of means testing addresses cases like this and when meaningful reform can be expected?

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