Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change)
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520. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost to the Exchequer of introducing a cost of disability payment in line with the recommendations set out in the recent Cost of Disability Report published in December 2021 (details supplied). [34022/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Indecon report found that there is not a single typical ‘cost of disability’; rather there is a spectrum from low additional costs to extremely high extra costs of disability, depending on the individual circumstances of the person concerned. 

The additional costs of disability identified by Indecon run across a number of areas of expenditure including: housing, equipment, aids and appliances, mobility, transport and communications, medicines, care and assistance services and additional living expenses. 

One of Indecon’s key conclusions was that a multifaceted approach was required, involving increased cash payments, enhanced access to service provision and specific targeted grant programmes.  This is why a whole-of-Government perspective is needed. 

As such the Government has referred the report to the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group, which Is chaired by the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability and includes Government departments, agencies, the Disability Stakeholder Group and disabled people. 

This Group has oversight of monitoring the key frameworks for policy and action to address the needs of persons with disabilities and it is in this regard that the Government saw it fitting that this group would be the appropriate monitoring vehicle.  It will consider and monitor actions required by the various Government Departments on foot of this report on a bi-annual basis. 

From the perspective of my Department, it is worth noting that a number of measures were introduced as part of Budget 2022 in relation to people with disabilities and their carers, which reflect some of the findings of the report.  These included a combination of core weekly payment rate increases, increases in earnings disregards as well as supports to employers.

Another of the key conclusion of the report referenced the significant challenges faced in accessing employment and recommends that a high priority should be given to facilitating an increase in employment opportunities for people with disabilities. 

I am committed to improving targeted employment supports where people are facing additional challenges accessing work.  In this context my Department is currently carrying out a review of its Reasonable Accommodation Fund.  The public consultation phase of this review has been completed and officials are reviewing the submissions made, with a report to be finalised in Q3.  A planned review of the departments Wage Subsidy Scheme, which provides financial incentives to encourage private sector employers to employ Jobseekers with disabilities, will also take place in 2022.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.