Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

10. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will maintain disability allowance at its current rate in Budget 2014. [25723/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure of €1,115 million in 2013 on the disability allowance scheme, an increase of €29 million (2.7%) over 2012. There were almost 102,400 recipients of disability allowance at the end of March. However, the Government was able to reduce the net savings required in Budget 2013 to €390 million, €150 million less than originally indicated. This enabled the Government to ensure, for the second year in a row, that there was no reduction in primary weekly rates of payment, including the rate of disability allowance. In addition, there were no changes to the weekly fuel allowance which may be payable with disability allowance or to free travel, which DA recipients also receive.

In relation to the forthcoming Budget, the Deputy will be aware that the Expenditure Report 2013 published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform last December provides for additional new expenditure reduction measures of €440 million to be achieved in 2014 in the Department of Social Protection budget. The Government have not made any decisions in relation to measures to be introduced in Budget 2014. The Government will finalise its consideration of the Budget in the coming months having regard to all of its commitments, including the commitment in the Programme for Government to maintain welfare rates. The outcome of this process will be announced on Budget Day.