Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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266. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing all weekly long-term unemployment payments by €5. [45957/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The estimated full year cost of increasing weekly long-term unemployment payments (Jobseeker's Allowance) by €5 per week is €36.4m.

This costing is based on 2024 rates and the estimated number of recipients.

It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2025. It should also be noted that these costings include proportionate increases for qualified adults and for those on reduced rates of payment, where relevant.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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267. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing disability allowance by €5. [45958/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides a suite of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. These include insurance-based schemes, based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, and means-tested social assistance schemes.

The primary disability related social assistance scheme is Disability Allowance, which is a means-tested payment for people with a specified disability who are aged between 16 and 66. In addition to the means test, in order to be eligible, the disability must be expected to last for at least one year. The allowance is also subject to a medical assessment and a habitual residency requirement.

The current maximum personal rate of Disability Allowance is €232 per week. If this figure was increased by €5 per week, based on recipient figures from the end of September 2024, (166,453) the additional cost would be almost €43.3 million per annum.

I am committed to improving outcomes for people with a disability. As a result, I announced an extensive range of cost of living measures to support people with disabilities in Budget 2025 including a €12 increase in the maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments, including Disability Allowance, from January 2025. There will be proportionate increases for people on a reduced rate.

Other improvements for people with disabilities include:

• October 2024 cost of living bonus for people in receipt of a long term weekly social welfare payment.
• €400 cost of living lump sum payment for people in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and Blind Pension, paid in November 2024.
• €300 cost of living lump sum payment to all households getting Fuel Allowance, paid in November 2024.
• €200 cost of living lump sum payment to people who are getting a Living Alone Increase, paid in November 2024.
• €100 cost of living lump sum payment for people getting a Child Support Payment (previously known as Increase for a Qualified Child), paid for each qualified child in November 2024.
• Christmas bonus to all persons in receipt of a long-term disability payment to be paid in December 2024.
• Weekly rates of Child Support Payment (previously known as Increase for a Qualified Child) will increase by €8 to €62 for those aged 12 and over, and by €4 to €50 for under 12s in January 2025

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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268. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the blind pension by €5. [45959/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides a suite of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. These include insurance-based schemes, based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, and means-tested social assistance schemes.

The primary social assistance scheme for people who are blind or visually impaired is the Blind Pension, which is a means-tested payment payable to those aged between 18 and 66. Blind Pension is the only income support payment designed to cater for a specific disability.

I am committed to improving outcomes for people with a disability. As a result, I announced an extensive range of cost of living measures and improvements to schemes to support people with disabilities in Budget 2025. These included a €12 increase in the maximum personal rate of Blind Pension, from January 2025, a cost of living lump sum of €400 and double payments in October and December.

The current maximum personal rate of Blind Pension is €232 per week. If this figure was increased by €5 per week as suggested by the Deputy, based on recipient figures from the end of September 2024 (926), the additional cost would be €240,760 per annum.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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269. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing invalidity pension by €5. [45960/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides a suite of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. These include insurance-based schemes, based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, and means-tested social assistance schemes.

Invalidity Pension is a weekly payment to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability and who are covered by PRSI contributions. To qualify, the person must have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months; or must be permanently incapable of work.

The current maximum personal rate of Invalidity Pension is €237.50 per week. If this figure was increased by €5 per week, based on recipient figures from the end of September 2024 (56,201), the additional cost would be €14.6 million per annum.

I am committed to improving outcomes for people with a disability and as a result, I announced an extensive range of cost of living measures to support people with disabilities in Budget 2025 including a €12 increase in the maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments, including Invalidity Pension, from January 2025. There will be proportionate increases for people on a reduced rate.

Other improvements for people with disabilities include:

• October 2024 cost of living bonus for people in receipt of a long term weekly social welfare payment.
• €400 cost of living lump sum payment for people in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and Blind Pension, paid in November 2024.
• €300 cost of living lump sum payment to all households getting Fuel Allowance, paid in November 2024.
• €200 cost of living lump sum payment to people who are getting a Living Alone Increase, paid in November 2024.
• €100 cost of living lump sum payment for people getting a Child Support Payment (previously known as Increase for a Qualified Child), paid for each qualified child in November 2024.
• Christmas bonus to all persons in receipt of a long-term disability payment to be paid in December 2024.
• Weekly rates of Child Support Payment (previously known as Increase for a Qualified Child) will increase by €8 to €62 for those aged 12 and over, and by €4 to €50 for under 12s in January 2025

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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270. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of introducing a €500 annual cost of disability support payment for all recipients of disability allowance, blind pension and invalidity pension. [45961/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I am committed to improving outcomes for people with a disability. As a result, I announced an extensive range of cost of living measures to support people with disabilities in Budget 2025. These included:

• October 2024 cost of living bonus for people in receipt of a long term weekly social welfare payment.
• €400 cost of living lump sum payment for people in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and Blind Pension, paid in November 2024.
• €300 cost of living lump sum payment to all households getting Fuel Allowance, paid in November 2024.
• €200 cost of living lump sum payment to people who are getting a Living Alone Increase, paid in November 2024.
• €100 cost of living lump sum payment for people getting a Child Support Payment (previously known as Increase for a Qualified Child), paid for each qualified child in November 2024.
• Christmas bonus to all persons in receipt of a long-term disability payment to be paid in December 2024.
• €12 increase in the maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments from January 2025. There will be proportionate increases for people on a reduced rate.
• Weekly rates of Child Support Payment (previously known as Increase for a Qualified Child) will increase by €8 to €62 for those aged 12 and over, and by €4 to €50 for under 12s in January 2025
• €20 increase a month in Domiciliary Care Allowance from January 2025.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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271. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the domiciliary care allowance by €5. [45962/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The estimated annual cost of increasing the Domiciliary Care Allowance by €5 per month from €340 per month to €345 per month is €4.0m.

This costing is on a full year basis and is based on 2024 rates of payment.

It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2025.

The rate of Domiciliary Care Allowance will increase from €340 per month to €360 per month with effect from January 2025, as a result of Budget 2025.