Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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2052. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to review the means assessment for disability allowance recipients; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28271/17]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I have no current plans to change the means assessment for disability allowance (DA).

The recently published “Make Work Pay” report, produced by an interdepartmental group, included a number of recommendations in relation to the disability allowance payment. The Government has decided to implement some of these, while others, including any review of the means assessment for DA, will require further reflection and a consultation process with disability groups which my Department has commenced.

A number of immediate changes were announced at the launch of the report in April including a measure to ensure that people with a long-term disability payment who move off the payment to get a job will retain their free travel pass for a period of five years; this is an improvement on the three year period recommended in the report.

The report’s recommendation, to dispense with the requirement that work be of a ‘rehabilitative nature’ for the disability allowance (DA) earnings disregard, was also accepted.Legislation to give effect to this change is included in the forthcoming Social Welfare & Pensions Bill, 2017.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.