Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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735. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if any further consideration has been given to extend eligibility of the disability support grant to include those in receipt of partial capacity benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55644/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As part of Budget 2023, the Social Protection budget has been designed to assist people with cost-of- living increases through a mix of lump sum payments, increases to weekly payment rates and an expansion of the Fuel Allowance scheme.

The measures introduced include the provision of a one-off €500 Cost-of-Living payment, which will be paid in November 2022 to recipients of the Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and the Carer's Support Grant. Recipients who are in receipt of one (or more) of these payments qualify for the €500 payment.

The Partial Capacity Benefit scheme has been designed to allow persons in receipt of this payment to continue to receive a percentage of their previous payment (i.e., 50%, 75% or 100%) while in employment. The scheme has also been designed so there are no restrictions on the number of hours a person in receipt of the payment can work, and there are no restrictions on earnings/earnings limits. Persons who have moved on to Partial Capacity Benefit from an Invalidity Pension payment retain their Partial Capacity payment, while in employment for three years.

As persons in receipt of Partial Capacity Benefit are in employment without any restriction on earnings they will not be eligible for the €500 Cost-of-Living payment.

However, Partial Capacity recipients have received a double payment under the Cost-of-Living support measure, announced in the recent Budget, which was paid the week commencing 17^thOctober 2022. They will also get the Christmas bonus double payment which will be paid from the week commencing 5^thDecember 2022.

From January 2023, the maximum rate of Partial Capacity Benefit will increase by €12. There will be proportionate increases for people getting a reduced rate and for qualified adults.

The weekly full rate for a qualified child will increase to:

- €42 for children under 12 years of age

- €50 for children aged 12 years and over

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.