Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Cost of Disability in Ireland report was commissioned by the Minister for Social Protection and was prepared by Indecon International Research Economists. It was published in December 2021. It provides important evidence of the additional costs that people with a disability face.

The Report has implications for many areas of public policy. As such, a whole-of-Government approach is required to develop appropriate responses and to ensure that everyday costs are reduced for people with disabilities and their families.

The report was considered by the Steering Group of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS) within 24 hours of its publication. It featured in discussions at Steering Group meetings from that point on towards to the conclusion of that strategy in December 2022. It provided an important lens to view the progress of actions under the NDIS.

The findings of the Cost of Disability Report also informed action taken by government in Budget 2023 and in respect of supports to help address the cost of living.

The NDIS has now ended and work is ongoing in my Department to coordinate across Government the development of an ambitious successor national disability strategy. It is important to me that this strategy be developed in a way that seeks to address the day to day costs for people with disabilities in Ireland. The Cost of Disability in Ireland report will be an important contribution to the evidence base and will inform which actions and commitments in the new Strategy. The response to it will require actions across government.