Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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504. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if consideration has been given to extending the annual cost of disability support payment to persons in receipt of the State pension; the form this consideration has taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15127/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides a number of income supports for people with a disability who are of working age. These include Disability Allowance, Blind Pension and Invalidity Pension. Both Disability Allowance and Blind Pension are means tested social assistance schemes, while Invalidity Pension is a social insurance based scheme. These are part of the suite of working age payments.

In contrast, the State Pension, whether Contributory or Non-Contributory, is not a working age payment. It is paid to those who have reached pensionable age 66. Currently, the maximum weekly personal rate of State Pension (Contributory) is €289.30, some €40 per week more than those in receipt of a disability payment.

As part of Budgets 2023, 2024 and 2025 the Department of Social Protection assisted families and vulnerable citizens through a mix of lump sum supports and increases to weekly payments. The measures introduced included the provision of once-off cost-of-living lump sums, to recipients of Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and the Carer's Support Grant.

While people in receipt of the State Pension who also had a disability did not qualify for these cost-of-living lump sums, there were significant improvements in Budget 2025 which impacted them including:

• A €12 increase in the maximum weekly rate of all State Pensions with proportionate increases for people getting a reduced rate
• The amount not taken into account when a person sells their home to move into care increased to €337,500 from January 2025 for those who get State Pension (Non-contributory)
• Means test disregard for Fuel Allowance extended to those aged 66 and over from January 2025 - €524 (single person) and €1,048 (couple) meaning more people will qualify for this support
• The Free Travel Scheme Companion Pass for all those aged over 70 from September 2025
• A €300 cost-of-living lump sum for those getting the Fuel Allowance
• A €200 cost-of-living lump sum to people who are getting a Living Alone Increase
• October cost-of-living bonus
• A Christmas Bonus paid in December 2024.