Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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103. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current status of the Government's commitment to introduce a cost of disability payment; the proposed timeline for its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2523/26]

Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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104. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the research, analysis, and impact assessments undertaken by his Department in developing proposals for a cost of disability payment; the estimated additional cost of living with a disability these considerations are based on; and if he will publish this information. [2524/26]

Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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105. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection whether any proposed cost of disability payment will be universal or means-tested; how eligibility will be determined; and how the payment will interact with existing disability-related supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2525/26]

Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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106. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the engagement his Department has had with disability organisations and representative groups in relation to the introduction of a cost of disability payment; how the views of disabled people are being reflected in policy development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2526/26]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 to 106, inclusive, together.

The Department of Social Protection provides a range of income support payments for disabled people. There are currently approximately 231,000 recipients of disability income support payments, with estimated expenditure of €3.24 billion in 2025.

The Government recognises the many additional costs that disabled people can face in their daily lives and is committed to improving outcomes for disabled people by introducing permanent measures to help them address these costs.

That is why the Programme for Government includes a range of commitments to support disabled people - commitments which have been further developed in The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. The strategy adopts a whole-of-Government approach with individual Departments and Agencies responsible for planning and delivering the commitments that come under their remit across five key pillars. The commitment to introduce a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment sits within this framework as a matter on which my Department is to take the lead. Subject to the overall budgetary context I am determined to include the payment as part of Budget 2027.

Importantly the strategy requires that the delivery of its various commitments should be informed by, and should include, the active input of disabled people and their advocates.

Accordingly, as set out in the strategy, my Department will lead a Strategic Focus Network on the Cost of Disability with the involvement of other relevant Departments and Agencies.

The work of this network, which will include disabled people and their advocates, will inform the approach to be taken in addressing the cost of disability. Officials have held bi-lateral meetings with a number of organisations to discuss the structure and content of the Strategic Focus Network with the matter also being discussed at my Department's Disability Consultative Forum, on December 2nd last.

A meeting with the Disabled Persons Organisation's network is being organised and that is expected to take place next Friday, 23rd January.

Given my intention to include a cost of disability for consideration in Budget 2027 I have asked my officials to continue to prioritise this work with a view to bringing a proposal to Government in the first half of this year.

I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.