Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

751. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide details on the proposed structure of means testing under the green paper on disability allowance; how cohabitating couples will be assessed; and what the income threshold would be. [48208/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Green Paper on Disability Reform is my department’s response to our commitment under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion to develop and consult on proposals to restructure long-term disability payments and to simplify the system.

The Paper addresses concerns raised in the Pathways to Work Strategy and the Make Work Pay report, and the recommendations given in the Cost of Disability report.

The main proposal of the Green Paper is to merge the social welfare assistance payments, Disability Allowance and Blind Pension, and the social insurance payment, Invalidity Pension, into a new Personal Support Payment with contributory and non-contributory streams.

Current eligibility for these long-term disability payments is based on either PRSI contributions or a means test, in addition to medical and habitual residency requirements. The Green Paper does not propose any changes to the means, habitual residence and contributory requirements currently in place.

The Green Paper does, however, outline a possible approach to in-work supports in the form of a working age payment type model. Under this approach, which is based on the Working Family Payment, a person would receive a payment based on a percentage of the difference between their income and a specified threshold.

It is important to highlight that the proposals in the Green Paper are not final. They are a starting point for a structured discussion on the future of long-term disability payments.

It is essential we hear from as many disabled people and representatives as possible. I encourage all those with an interest to express their views in our public consultation by making a submission or attending one of our public consultation events in Dublin, Cork and Athlone this month.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

752. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reasoning behind the proposal to raise the age of access to the disability allowance from 16 to 18 years of age in her Department’s green paper on disability allowance; to detail the research that went into the basis for this proposal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48209/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government committed as part of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion to develop and consult on proposals to restructure long-term disability payments and to simplify the system.

One of the Green Paper’s proposals is to raise the qualifying age for Disability Allowance to 18 to create a common tiered approach to disability payments.

The age of entry for Disability Allowance has been 16 since its introduction in 1996. This age criterion followed from the scheme that preceded Disability Allowance, the Disabled People’s Maintenance Allowance. When introduced in the 1950s, this allowance sought to accommodate the many disabled people who left the education system at that age. The Green Paper proposes to raise the age of entry to recognise that education for many people with disabilities now continues to age 18 and over.

The proposal would also bring Disability Allowance’s age criterion in line with the rest of the social welfare system, as all other working age payments become payable at age 18.

In line with this change, the Green Paper proposes to extend Domiciliary Care Allowance to age 18. This recognises that young people aged 16 and 17 are still in the care of their parents or guardians.

Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment to a parent or guardian for a child aged up to 16, who has a severe disability and requires care and attention substantially over and above that required by other children their age. It ceases to be payable when a child reaches 16 years of age. The young person can then apply for Disability Allowance if they meet the eligibility requirements.

I have increased the rate of payment of Domiciliary Care Allowance in successive Budgets.

The reconfiguration of Disability Allowance and Domiciliary Care Allowance has been highlighted in a wide range of reports going as far back as the Report of the Commission on Social Welfare in1986, and more recently, the May Work Pay report in 2017.

The proposals in the Green Paper are not final. They are a starting point for a structured discussion on the future of long-term disability payments.

It is essential that we hear from as many disabled people and representatives as possible on this matter. I encourage all those with an interest to express their views in our public consultation by attending one of our public consultation events in Dublin, Cork and Athlone this month or by making a submission by 15 December.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

753. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection whether the cap of a €20,000-per-annum scholarship income disregard for PhD students who are in receipt of disability allowance will be raised in light of the increase to PhD stipends announced by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48210/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Disability Allowance is a means tested social assistance scheme, which is also subject to a medical assessment and habitual residency requirement. My Department seeks to support persons in receipt of Disability Allowance to pursue educational or training opportunities and as a result, a number of disregards are in place.

I introduced a PhD disregard effective from 2021, for persons in receipt of Disability Allowance and from 2022 for persons in receipt of Blind Pension who have been granted a bursary, stipend or scholarship towards completing a PhD. An annual disregard of €20,000 was introduced with the disregard available for a maximum of four years.

I've asked my officials to examine the issue raised by the Deputy.