Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 188: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the cost per year of the introduction of a payment of €40 per week for people with disabilities regardless of whether they are in work or not, in order to take into account the additional cost of living for disabled people. [29751/07]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The Disability Federation of Ireland in its pre-budget submission estimated the cost of introducing a payment of €40 per week at €183 million per annum but I am not aware of the basis for this estimate. There are significant limitations on the available data to enable an estimate of the cost of introducing a payment of €40 per week. The annual cost would be dependent on the eligibility criteria and consequently the number of persons eligible. Significant assistance is available to mitigate the impact of the additional costs incurred by people with a disability. These measures include weekly/monthly allowances, additional income supports, other benefits such as medical cards, free travel and mobility allowance, and tax concessions.