Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1428. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection his plans to introduce a cost of disability payment as recommended by the 2021 Government commissioned Indecon Report and in view of the commitment to it in the Programme for Government to introduce a permanent annual cost of disability support payment to be increased incrementally over its lifetime of the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47438/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government commits to introducing a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment with a view to incrementally increasing this payment. Our Programme for Government commitments will be advanced over the lifetime of the Government, having regard to the overall policy and budgetary context.

Last week, the Government published the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. This is Ireland’s plan to advance the realisation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Publication of this strategy is a key Programme for Government commitment. The strategy adopts a whole-of-Government approach with individual Government Departments and State Agencies responsible for planning and delivering the commitments that come under their remit across five key pillars.

In addition, Strategic Focus Networks, will bring together key stakeholders to provide focused inputs across core and cross-cutting issues. Cost of Disability is the theme of one of the Strategic Focus Networks under the First Programme Plan of Actions 2025-2026. Under that initiative, all Government Departments are to develop and implement whole-of-Government solutions, including in relation to the enhancement of services, that will address poverty, and the additional financial burden faced by disabled people.