Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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35. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the discussions he had with the Minister for Social Protection in advance of Budget 2025 with regard to guaranteeing an income for those with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39175/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The allocation made for Specialist Disability Services in my Department's budget for 2025 is €3.2 billion. This funding will help support people with disabilities participate equally in society. The money will go towards improving and expanding services, increasing pay, and assisting people to continue living independently in their own homes. I believe this significant allocation reflects the priority given to disability since the transfer to my Department from the Department of Health, and reflects the good work of my colleague Minister Anne Rabbitte.

I did not have a direct meeting with the Minister for Social Protection on the specific matter raised by the Deputy during the estimates process for Budget 2025. In the context of the National Disability Strategy, there is ongoing and extensive engagement between my Department and Minister Humphreys' Department on issues relating to employment, income and the cost of disability.