Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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123. To ask the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in implementing the recommendations of the Make Work Pay report (details supplied) in view of the fact that 71% of persons of working age who have a disability are not in employment; the actions he plans to take in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19164/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am committed to ensuring that the recommendation included in the Make Work Pay for People with Disabilities Report to raise the medical card income disregard from its current level of €120 per week for people on Disability Allowance or on Partial Capacity Benefit is implemented.

My officials are working with the HSE to finalise the operational details to give effect to this recommendation. It is intended that the recommendation will be implemented ahead of the Report's timeframe of quarter 4 2018.

It is worth noting that the second recommendation in the Make Work Pay Report in relation to the medical card was to remove the requirement that work undertaken for the medical card earnings disregard must be of a "rehabilitative" nature. This measure was implemented by the HSE last year.