Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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95. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to confirm that his Department will be the lead on the introduction of a permanent annual cost of disability support payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21596/25]

Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I ask the Minister for Social Protection to confirm that his Department will be the lead for the introduction of a permanent annual cost of disability support payment and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an cheist. The Indecon report on the cost of disability, commissioned and funded by my Department, found that the extra costs of disability are due to a number of factors, including higher costs of healthcare, transport, education, housing and other services that arise because of a higher level of dependence on these services by people with disabilities. In that context, the report noted that addressing these costs was not simply a matter of a higher welfare payment but would need to incorporate improvements in the delivery of and access to these services and others.

The Government, under the Minister, Deputy Foley, has prioritised the development of a new national disability strategy, a cross-governmental strategy that will have a focus on improving access to services and bringing down the extra costs I referred to. Alongside this, in the programme for Government, we have committed to introducing a permanent annual cost of disability support payment. That annual cost of disability support payment will build on progress made over the last number of years, where we took steps to recognise the additional costs associated with disability. In the last three budgets, we brought forward an extensive range of cost-of-living support measures to support people with disabilities and their families. Building on that, progress my Department will now lead on the introduction of an annual cost-of-disability payment, as committed to in the programme for Government. We are currently examining the best way of delivering on this commitment within the overall budgetary context. The Deputy can be assured that we will prioritise this payment in budget discussions with our colleague, the Minister for public expenditure, Deputy Jack Chambers.

Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I am delighted to hear that. It is a welcome commitment in the programme for Government. Those who are living with a disability, as the Minister rightly says, have many additional challenges, including healthcare, transport costs and other challenges. The least we can do is to look to support them where we can. Those living with a disability and their representative organisations will be happy with progress in this area. I look forward to hearing of further progress in due course on negotiations about the annual budget. I am more than happy to support the Minister in any way I can.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. Since the Government was elected, we have prioritised the Cabinet committee on disability, which is chaired by the Taoiseach and meets monthly. It is addressing a range of issues, including income, but also services and supports. We had a discussion with Deputy John Connolly earlier about the wage subsidy scheme to assist employers and encourage them to employ people with a disability. We will be relaunching the reformed wage subsidy scheme next week and giving people information. In our Department, we are in the early stages of the early engagement process, which proactively seeks to assist disabled people who wish to return to work and to give them supports through specially trained Intreo staff. All engagement on this is on a voluntary basis. Some 3,000 referrals have been made through the early engagement process for further education or employment supports. We have also, as referred to earlier, launched the WorkAbility programme, which is co-financed with the EU employment, inclusion, skills and training programme. In 2024, more than 1,400 people engaged in projects supported by WorkAbility. That gives a sense of the work under way across the country. However, we have much more to do. I have determined that my Department will do its part. Other Departments need to do so too. That is why the Government is focused on a new national disability strategy.