Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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28. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on increasing the disability allowance personal rate by €20 a week. [48682/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that I will be considering a range of options for Budget 2022 over the coming days, taking account of available resources.

A series of evidence-based, targeted measures were introduced in the last two Budgets, to ensure the most vulnerable were protected. Many recipients of Disability Allowance will have benefitted from these measures, which included an increase in the Living Alone Allowance of €10 per week, increases in the weekly rate Fuel Allowance by €5.50 per week, and increases to the weekly qualified child rates of €4 for children aged under 12, and €8 for those aged 12 and over.

In addition, the earnings disregard for Disability Allowance was increased by €20 per week, from €120 to €140, allowing recipients to earn more from employment or self-employment without their payment being affected.

My Department commissioned Indecon International Consultants to carry out research into the cost of disability. In line with the commitment contained in the Programme for Government, the Government will use the research into the cost of disability to individuals and families to inform the direction of future policy.

The report has been received and my Department is considering it in detail. As part of this consideration, the Department has been briefing and seeking the views of relevant Government departments which have a role to play in the delivery of disability services and supports. As this matter is significantly wider than the income support system, a whole-of-Government perspective is being taken. Once this process is complete, I intend to submit the report to Government for consideration.

An increase of €20 per week - in the personal rate only - of Disability Allowance would cost an estimated €163.3 million in a full year, based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2022. Any changes to the rate of payment for Disability Allowance will be considered in an overall budgetary and policy context.