Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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120. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the engagement she has had on the policy of progressing disability services; and if she has contacted other Ministers regarding the policy. [16178/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department develops its services for people with disabilities in conjunction with other Departments and agencies under a number of key national strategies and plans.  These include:

National Disability Inclusion Strategy (2017 – 2021)

The National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS) is a coordinated and planned approach, across Government Departments, to promote greater inclusion by people with disabilities in Irish society.  The Strategy takes a whole of Government approach to improving the lives of people with disabilities both in a practical sense, and also in creating the best possible opportunities for people with disabilities to fulfil their potential.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) are the lead department with regards to the strategy.

Implementation of the Strategy is overseen by a Steering Group (NDIS-SG), comprised of representatives of departments, agencies and of disability stakeholder representative bodies.

The Steering Group meets on a quarterly basis and is chaired by Minister of State Anne Rabbitte.

Comprehensive Employment Strategy (2015 – 2024)

The Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) for People with Disabilities was published in 2015.  The CES provides a framework within which departments and agencies work together and set out agreed actions to improve the employment prospects of persons with a disability.

The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities Implementation Group (CES-IG) meets four times a year to monitor progress against actions. 

The CES-IG  is independently chaired by Mr Fergus Finlay and consists of representatives of  Departments, agencies and disability stakeholder representative bodies.

Make Work Pay (MWP) Report

The Make Work Pay report was published in April 2017 following a commitment in the CES 2015 -2024, and was undertaken in order to better identify how people with disabilities could be supported to achieve their employment ambitions.

While work is on-going, in line with recommendations of the Make Work Pay report a number of changes have been implemented by Departments.  These include:

- the requirement that work be of a ‘rehabilitative’ nature, where a person in receipt of Disability Allowance wishes to undertake employment, has been removed.

- people with a long-term disability who take up employment retain their Free Travel Pass for a period of five years (recommendation was for three years in MWP report);  

- a 'fast-track return to disability allowance' protocol has been put in place should a particular employment opportunity prove unsuitable;

- a protocol is in place in Intreo, that an enquiry from a person on a long-term disability payment about taking up or returning to work will not result in a review of their current entitlements.

- a “Benefits of Work” calculator for persons with a disability is now available on the Department's website to help people calculate the net benefit of entering or returning to work;

- Review the Disability Allowance earnings disregard at regular intervals taking into account developments in the wider economy.  A Budget 2021 measure will see increases of €20 to both the Disability Allowance and Blind Pension income disregards from €120 to €140 from June 2021.

In addition, as per a MWP recommendation, the Department of Health has introduced a significant increase to the medical card assessment process which will enable persons in receipt of a Disability Allowance payment to have a greater earnings capacity and still retain their medical card.  The medical card earnings disregard has increased from €120 to €427 per week.

There are an number of other strategies and programmes that provide a framework for cross departmental working and the development of services.  These include the "Pathways to Work" and the "Roadmap for Social Inclusion".

Finally my Department regularly consults with a wide range of organisations and bodies who represent people with disabilities and who have experience and knowledge of disability issues through various fora.  These include the quarterly Disability Consultative Forum, the Annual Carers Forum, the Pre-Budget Forum and the Community and Voluntary Pillar.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.