Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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213. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on increasing disability allowance payments by €25 in budget 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29508/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Disability Allowance (DA) is a means-tested payment for people with a specified disability who are aged between 16 and 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and a habitual residency test.

The estimated annual expenditure on DA for 2020 is some €1.8 billion. The estimated cost of increasing the weekly personal rate of DA by €25 would be an additional €215.3 million. This estimate includes a proportionate increase for qualified adults.

My Department regularly reviews its supports and payment schemes to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives. Given the cost implications, any changes to the current payment rates would have to be considered in the overall budgetary context.

I trust that this clarifies the matter.