Dara Calleary
Mayo · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Agriculture is the backbone. We have all been in the Mansion House today, or everyone has said they were anyway. Energy security is key and crucial. Everybody wants energy security but nobody wants wind energy. We have to strike a balance and get a real discussion, but food security is most important.”
“While we have gaps there, we are addressing them. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has announced the minor injury units, which will take the pressure off major hospitals and ensure services are available.”
“Recent figures from the CSO show that there is a 5.8% increase in the number of people living in rural areas between 2016 and 2022. In areas classified as highly rural and remote, the increase was 6.4%.”
“Enterprise Ireland is investing in Irish-owned, Irish-founded companies. Similarly, 59% of IDA investments were located outside the Dublin region. We will continue to work, looking at the progress we can make through the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and, as Senator O'Loughlin said, through supporting our local enterprise offices.”
“That is something we do daily and they are used where is necessary. The plan will be supported by ambitious, clear, practical and measurable actions. I have spoken to some of the funding programmes available within my Department.”
“Táim tar éis cuairt a thabhairt ar gach ceantar Gaeltachta chun plé fairsing a dhéanamh leis na pobail sin chun a fháil amach uathu féin cén cineál tacaíochta ar féidir a chur ar fáil dóibh chun cabhrú leo. Táim chun leanúint ar aghaidh leis an obair sin sa bhuiséad le teacht agus na buiséid eile.”
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“Cé go bhfuil an dréacht agus na caighdeáin chomh tábhachtach, tá sé tábhachtach freisin go mbeidh am ag daoine iad a phlé. Tuigim an gá atá ann dóibh. Is rud an-tábhachtach dom é go mbeidh siad foilsithe. Tá sé tábhachtach freisin go mbeidh muid in ann caint le daoine fúthu agus aon bhuairt a bhíonn ar dhaoine faoin ndréacht a thuiscint.”
“Tá an-obair idir lámha ag mo Roinn ó achtaíodh an tAcht ar dhréachtú na gcaighdeáin teanga. Sa mhéid seo, táimid ag tabhairt aird ar chúrsaí níos luaithe go sonrach san Acht atá le háireamh, nithe atá le foghlaim ó thaithí na Breataine Bige, áit ina bhfuil córas ag feidhmiú go héifeachtach anois agus ar thóg sé roinnt ama an chéad dréacht a aontú. Tá an plean gníomhaíochta foilsithe anois. Tá sé i gceist tús a chur leis an gcomhairliúchán ar an dréacht ach tá an t-uafás oibre tar éis dul isteach sa dréacht sin agus beidh a lán sonraí ann. Bhí cruinniú leis na hoifigigh sa Roinn atá ag déileáil leis na dréachtaí an tseachtain seo caite. Tá muinín agam go bhfuilimid réidh le dul ar aghaidh go dtí an comhairliúchán sin chomh luath agus is féidir. Beidh mé ag cur brú go mbeidh sé déanta go tapa.”
“Leagann an tAcht leasaithe amach nach féidir le caighdeáin teanga leibhéal níos lú seirbhíse trí Ghaeilge a fhorordú ná mar a bhí geallta roimhe seo faoi scéim teanga nó eile. Chuige sin, tá athbhreithniú cuimsitheach déanta ar na scéimeanna teanga reatha go léir mar chuid den obair dhréachtaithe ar na caighdeáin teanga, atá ag teacht chun críche anois. Áirítear roinnt gníomhartha bainteach le nithe a fhorordú trí na caighdeáin teanga sa phlean gníomhaíochta um sheirbhísí poiblí Gaeilge a sheol mé le déanaí, chomh maith leis na bearta atá le tacú le comhlachtaí poiblí agus iad á gcur i bhfeidhm. Agus an plean sin foilsithe anois, tá sé i gceist tús a chur leis an gcomhairliúchán ar na dréacht-chaighdeáin go luath trí na meicníochtaí aitheanta faoin Acht.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist. Tá an Roinn ar an eolas faoi chás cúirte a tógadh i rith na bliana anuraidh, inar tarraingíodh ar ghnéithe bainteach le hAchtanna na dTeangacha Oifigiúla mar chuid de. Mar a luadh roimhe seo, bhí mo Roinn ag feidhmiú i gcónaí de réir comhairle dlí a bhí faighte ar an ábhar roimhe seo, ach mar bheart taca sa bhreis agus chun aon amhras a sheachaint sa tréimhse idir aisghairm na scéimeanna teanga agus teacht i bhfeidhm na gcaighdeán teanga, tá leasú molta ábhartha ar an Acht sin áirithe sa Bhille um Údarás na Gaeltachta (Leasú), 2024. Ó tharla nach bhfuil an Bille sin achtaithe go fóill, scríobh an Roinn chuig gach comhlacht poiblí i mí na Nollag 2024 le meabhrú dóibh nár chóir aon laghdú a theacht ar leibhéil na seirbhísí Gaeilge atá á soláthar acu le linn na hidirthréimhse seo.”
“I gceantair Ghaeltachta freisin, tá airgead breise le haghaidh hallaí agus hallaí pobail a bhfuil daoine ag iarraidh infheistíocht a chur isteach iontu. We have a range of supports across every section of the Department, predominately in capital. As the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, has outlined, both he and I are working with the CCIF to try to assist that programme too.”
“It is. It is my intention in 2027 to have a specific round of the CCIF for new-build centres. The then Minister, Heather Humphreys, announced a range of those in 2024. We are getting all of those into construction at the moment. There are about 12 nationally. Under the town and village renewal scheme, through the buildings acquisitions measure, local authorities can identify properties that are derelict within communities for a number of uses. We have funded the acquisition of properties for use as community facilities for exactly the kind of groups the Deputy has looked at. We have done similar through LEADER. I encourage any group to look at the town and village renewal scheme if they want to invest in a new centre, particularly within an existing community.”
“We will work closely with colleagues in the CCIF to give the best possible advice to community centres through local authorities. The vast majority of them have voluntary boards of directors. I want to make sure the new iteration of the CCIF is as easy as possible for those volunteers to access in an efficient manner.”
“I confirm that will be part of the iteration. We are trying to make it as broad as possible. As the Deputy and Deputy O'Reilly said previously, these centres provide very important services. Many of them were built at different times when energy costs were not quite causing the pressure they are now. Regarding the impact of the CCIF today, 93% of centres that have been funded under the CCIF have reported an increase in user numbers following the upgrades, with new improved accessibility, inclusivity and comfort. There has been further engagement from older adults, people with disabilities, families and marginalised groups reflecting to the new centre and new investment. Energy upgrades have been a major feature of the CCIF refurbishment process. They will continue to be.”
“We also support community facilities with enhancement works through a range of other funding streams, including capitally through the CLÁR programme, LEADER and the town and village renewal scheme.”
“Through the CCIF, €110 million has been allocated since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of a number of new centres where such a need has been identified. I am committed to delivering further iterations of the CCIF in the coming years. Following meetings with the Minister of State and myself, our officials are currently finalising the details of the next call for applications. This call will focus on refurbishment to existing community centres. I expect to open this new round of funding to applicants in the coming months with a view to announcing successful projects before the end of the year.”
“I thank the Deputy for his question. Both the Minister of State and I agree and recognise that community centres can be at the heart of every community and that they are a vital resource for any city, neighbourhood, town or village. Since joining the Department, we prioritised investment in community infrastructure. As part of budget 2026, we secured increased funding for the programmes delivering on this priority, including an increase in the annual budget for the community centre investment fund, CCFI, of €3 million to €20 million. The CCIF was introduced to provide high quality, accessible, community spaces that are available to groups in all communities in both rural and urban areas.”
“I confirm today that I intend to launch a call for proposals to local authorities and other public bodies for larger-scale category 1 RRDF projects in the very near future. This follows on from my approval of €20.5 million for 31 category 2 RRDF projects nationwide in October. It is a priority of mine within the Department to ensure that we continue to fund RRDF and projects, such as those in Kingscourt, get to the completion stage.”
“I beg the indulgence of the Acting Chairperson to welcome members of the Moy ICA in County Mayo who have joined us in the Gallery. I hope they are enjoying their day. I assure the Senator that the RRDF continues to support high-quality and transformational projects across rural areas of Ireland in line with the objectives of Our Rural Future and the town centre first policy. I acknowledge the huge work being done by Cavan County Council in co-operation with local partners. I visited Councillor Kelly in Kingscourt on many occasions and I know how proud he is of the town. This will provide public realm, a new public library and a new remote working hub. The Kingscourt project is an example for other communities of what can be done through the RRDF.”
“The contractor procurement will be completed through a two-stage restricted procedure for both works contracts. The pre-qualification and suitability tender packs for the first stage of this process are nearing completion. I anticipate that the tender process will commence in the coming weeks. Based on these timeframes, Cavan County Council has provided an indicative date of quarter 1 2028 for completion of the works.”
“The council will now progress through the stages of the capital works management framework, including completion of pre-tender cost estimates, the issuing of an invitation to tender for main works and, thereafter, the awarding of contracts. Subject to a satisfactory completion of the pre-tender obligations, the council has confirmed its intention to procure and deliver the project in two main parts under separate contracts running concurrently. The first part relates to the public realm enhancement component of the project. I am advised by the council that this contract is expected to take 12 months to complete. The second part relates to the library creation and remote working hub creation components of the project. I am advised by the council that this contract is expected to take 18 months to complete.”
“The council is joined by other project partners locally, including Kingscourt Development Association - I join the Senator in acknowledging its work - Cavan local enterprise office, Cavan county local development and Cavan-Monaghan Education and Training Board. The project is at the detailed design stage and the council advises it has undertaken a project execution plan and a detailed review of all design documentation to ensure compliance with the required standards. In addition, a stakeholder workshop on the community library was held in early January. A project team was appointed in quarter 4 last year.”
“This includes a redesigned Market Square and Main Street which aims to bring back its historic function, including the creation of a new civic and events space for the town, situated next to the community library. It will incorporate a main lower-level plaza area with paved patterns, seating, planting, feature walls and seat walls. Third is the refurbishment of the vacant former Bank of Ireland building on Main Street to create a multi-functional remote working hub. This will be for use by local business and will include office space, training facilities and meeting rooms and should act as a catalyst for regenerating neighbouring town centre buildings. Cavan County Council, as the designated lead body, is responsible for managing, procuring and developing the works.”
“This funding facilitated the acquisition of a derelict former Bank of Ireland building on Main Street in Kingscourt. The funding was also used to develop plans for the building's renovation and use as a community and remote working hub. The council subsequently made a category 1 RRDF application for a Kingscourt town centre regeneration scheme. In May 2024, approval was given for RRDF funding of €10.9 million. The council’s regeneration plans include three main areas of works in Kingscourt. First is the refurbishment of a building on Market Square from its derelict state, which will provide a new public building to serve as a community library and focal point within the town core. Second are public realm enhancement works.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Gallagher as ucht an t-ábhar seo a ardú inniu. As he is aware, the rural regeneration and development fund is a major capital investment programme. It seeks to support large-scale, ambitious projects that can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. The focus of the RRDF is on supporting rural towns and villages with a population of fewer than 10,000 people. Since its introduction in 2017, the RRDF has allocated more than €613 million to 273 projects across Ireland, including over €35 million for 13 projects located in County Cavan. In 2020, following an application by Comhairle Chontae an Chabháin, the council was awarded more than €787,000 in RRDF category 2 funding.”
“I look forward to submissions on what that payment may look like and to engagement well ahead of budget 2027, so we have a chance to get a fully agreed proposal, if possible, on what that payment will look like. The key difference is that this is a permanent payment, not a year-on-year temporary payment. It is a permanent investment in addressing the cost of disability for those who need it.”
“The organisations that attended were Chime, the Disability Federation of Ireland, Inclusion Ireland, Independent People with Disabilities, the Irish Society for Autism, the Irish Wheelchair Association, the National Advocacy Service, the National Disability Authority, Rehab and Vision Ireland. Just last Friday, we met with the Disabled Persons' Organisations Network, namely, the Irish Deaf Society, the National Platform of Self-Advocates, Disabled Women Ireland, AsIAm and Independent Living Movement Ireland. We will be launching a public consultation on this payment and I look forward to submissions from across the House in relation to that. As I committed to Deputy O'Reilly, I intend to discuss it with the Joint Committee on Social Protection. I assure the House that this is my priority for budget 2027.”
“I want to focus now on the work that is under way in my Department in relation to the cost of disability and the permanent payment. This is a cross-government endeavour, including other Government Departments. Most importantly, it involves ongoing consultation with disabled people and their advocates. My officials have already held a series of meetings to discuss issues in relation to the strategic focus network summit as well as cost-of-disability issues. Last October, we held bilateral meetings with the National Disability Authority, AsIAm, Family Carers Ireland and the Disability Federation of Ireland. The cost-of-disability strategic focus network summit was the main agenda item at my Department's disability consultative forum on 2 December last.”
“As Deputy Hayes said, we have one of the lowest records and I want to change that. They are also hugely important because we know that a fear of losing secondary benefits is a major barrier to people taking up employment. We have also provided for the extension of the wage subsidy scheme to people already at work, who acquire a disability or whose ability to work has reduced such that their job has to be significantly adapted. Last year, we modernised the language of the wage subsidy scheme in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We also increased the pool of potential employers. I will continue to focus on employment and increasing the opportunities available for disabled people within employment.”
“The wage subsidy scheme is a key disability employment support provided by my Department. It aims to encourage employers to offer substantial and sustainable employment to disabled people and it supports the employer to cover the costs of significantly adapting a job’s tasks or role. Budget 2026 provides for reducing the number of bands in the wage subsidy scheme from five to three and increasing all the rates so that from April 2026, the base rate will be €7.50 per hour, up from €6.30. Where an employer employs between seven and 16 employees under the scheme, they will receive a new rate of €8.50. In addition, an employer who employs 25 or more employees on the wage subsidy scheme may receive a grant of €30,000 towards the cost of employing an employment assistance officer. These changes are important because they encourage employment.”
“Again, I ask any person who considers they may have an entitlement to a payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to contact the Department. I will provide contact details to Deputies. There are supports, and I want to make sure that those who need them know they are there and that they can avail of them. The budget also contained a number of measures, in line with work I am doing on an ongoing basis, to make the welfare to work journey as smooth as possible and to support disabled people into work. Those moving from disability allowance or blind pension to take up work will be able to retain their fuel allowance payment for up to five years. We are making the back to work family dividend available to people who move off disability allowance or the blind pension and into employment.”
“Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, a special heating supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances who have special heating needs, for example, in the case of ill health, infirmity or a medical condition. Additional need payments may also be made to help meet essential one-off costs, which an applicant is unable to meet out of their own resources. These payments are available to those who need them and qualify, regardless of whether they are in receipt of a social protection payment. In 2025, there were over 2,300 additional need payments made towards household bills and heating, at an investment of almost €1.3 million. At the end of 2025, there are 692 recipients of heat supplement.”
“This represents an increase of 15%, providing recipients with an additional €140 during the annual fuel allowance season. Both the increases to personal rates of payment and the fuel allowance are ahead of the general inflation rate reported by the Central Statistics Office of 3.2% in the year to the end of November 2025. Importantly, in relation to the cost of living, and the cases being referred to by Deputies, nobody in Ireland needs to go without food or heating for financial reasons. My Department’s community welfare service is available to provide financial support for those essentials. I do not want a misleading and dangerous message to go out that people must choose between food and heating. I will ask my officials to again engage with the organisations to point out the supports and contact points available.”
“This represents an increase of over €70, or 23%, since 2022. We also increased the weekly personal rate of payment such as disability allowance by €10, or 4.1%. That brings the personal rate of payment to €254 per week from this month, which represents a €51 increase in the weekly disability income support payments since budget 2021. Recipients of disability allowance and other payments who have children have seen their weekly rates of child support payment increase by €16 to €78 for children aged 12 or over, and by €8 to €58 for children under 12, from January 2026. These are the largest ever increases in these payments, which have increased by €48.20 and €28.20, respectively, since 2017. This month, the fuel allowance payment increased by €5 to €38 per week.”
“We were clear as a Government that there would be no one-off payments in budget 2026. I want to introduce permanent measures that will improve outcomes for disabled people. I also take this opportunity to outline the measures Government has in place to support disabled people. Budget 2026 provided for a €1.15 billion package of new social protection measures. It builds on the already comprehensive level of support available by targeting measures aimed at supporting carers and recipients of domiciliary care allowance and making it easier for people with disability to progress into and, more important, stay in employment. Recipients of payments received a Christmas bonus of a double week’s payment in December. We provided a €20 increase in the monthly rate of domiciliary care allowance, which brought it to €380 from January.”
“Under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, which was developed with the involvement of disability advocates and representative groups, the Department of Social Protection is mandated to lead a cross-government strategic focus summit on the cost of disability. That work is under way, and I will come back to that later on. There is a broad range of income support payments for disabled people, including disability allowance, partial capacity benefit and invalidity pension. There are approximately 231,000 recipients of disability income support payments and 170,000 recipients of caring payments, including domiciliary care allowance. Expenditure across illness, disability and carer’s schemes combined in 2026 is estimated at €6.5 billion, which represents an increase in expenditure of approximately 38% since 2020.”
“A dedicated disability unit has been established in Roinn an Taoisigh to drive progress in enhancing supports for disabled people. Progress will also be driven and monitored by the Cabinet committee. We know that addressing the cost of disability is not a question of income support alone. The delivery of, and access to, services is also key. The Private Members' motion refers to the Indecon report on the cost of disability. That report was commissioned by my Department, but it sets out how addressing the additional cost of disability requires a broader approach than simply increasing existing payments or introducing new ones. We need all of the Departments and agencies of government to work together to address this issue in a comprehensive way.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis na Daonlathaithe Sóisialta as cúrsaí míchumais a ardú sa Teach. Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí Hayes agus Quaide as an rún tábhachtach seo. I assure the Cathaoirleach that the Government recognises that disabled people, their families and representative organisations face unavoidable and ongoing additional costs in their daily lives. I assure the House that improving outcomes for disabled people is a top priority for me personally, and for the Government. It is our determination to achieve this, and this is reflected in a key programme for Government commitment that will introduce a permanent annual cost-of-disability support payment. Delivering on this commitment is a core objective of the national human rights strategy for disabled people.”
“Tairgim leasú Uimh. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "recognises that: — the Government acknowledges that disabled people face additional costs in their daily lives; — the Government's determination to address this issue is reflected in the Programme for Government commitment, to introduce a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment; — delivering on this commitment is a core objective of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, which the Government published in September 2025; — a dedicated Disability Unit has been established in the Department of An Taoiseach, to drive progress in enhancing supports for disabled people; — progress will be driven and monitored by the Cabinet Committee on Children, Disability and Education; — under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, which was developed with the involvement of disability advocates and representative groups, the Department of Social Protection is mandated to lead a cross-Government Strategic Focus Network Summit on the Cost of Disability; and — work is already underway to establish and define the detailed remit of the Strategic Focus Network Summit: — the Strategic Focus Network Summit will be organised by the Department of Social Protection and, as a cross-Government endeavour, will include, other Government departments, and importantly it will involve disabled people and their advocates; — this work will inform the approach to be taken in delivering on the Programme for Government commitment; — officials have held meetings with a number of organisations to discuss the structure and content of the Strategic Focus Network Summit; — the views of disabled people and all relevant research, such as the Indecon Cost of Disability in Ireland - Research Report, and the more recent Economic and Social Research Institute report entitled "Headline Poverty Target Reduction in Ireland and the Role of Work and Social Welfare", will be given due consideration when progressing this work; and — a public consultation process on how a cost of disability can best be delivered will also be launched shortly; notes that: — there is already a broad range of income support payments for disabled people; — there are approximately 231,000 recipients of disability income support payments and 170,000 recipients of caring payments, including the Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA), with estimated expenditure of €6.5 billion across illness, disability and carer's schemes combined in 2026; and — Budget 2026 provided for a €1.15 billion package of new social protection measures, and this contained significant targeted measures to support disabled people, including: — a €20 per month increase in the monthly rate of DCA bringing it to €380 per month from January 2026, this represents an increase of over €70 or 23 per cent since 2022; — a €10, or 4.1 per cent increase in the weekly rates of payment, bringing the personal rates of payment to €254 per week from January 2026, this represents a €51 increase in weekly disability income support payments since Budget 2021; — the highest ever increases in the Child Support Payment, an increase of €16 to €78 for children aged 12 or over, and of €8 to €58 for children under 12, these payments have increased by €48.20 and €28.20 respectively since 2017; — a €5, or 15 per cent increase in the Fuel Allowance, bringing it to €38 per week from January 2026 providing recipients with an additional €140 during the annual Fuel Allowance season; and — an increase of €325 to €1,000 in the income disregard for single carers and €750 to €2,000 in the disregard for a couple, these increases mean a couple with an income of just under €140,000 can still qualify for a carer's payment; — both the increases to personal rates of payment and the Fuel Allowance were ahead of the general inflation rate reported by the Central Statistics Office of 3.2 per cent in the year to the end of November 2025, and an energy cost increase of approximately 3.5 per cent for the same period; and — to make the welfare to work journey as smooth as possible, and to support disabled people into work, Budget 2026 provided for: — people moving from Disability Allowance or Blind Pension to take up work to retain their Fuel Allowance payment for five years; — people getting Disability Allowance or Blind Pension who have children being eligible for Back to Work Family Dividend when taking up employment and moving off those payments; — expansion of the Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) to people who acquire a disability while in employment, and to those who transfer from Invalidity Pension to Partial Capacity Benefit; and — increased rates under the WSS, which will take effect from April; — in Budget 2026, the Government allocated €3.8 billion to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality for disability services in 2026, including funding for community-based specialist disability services to ensure people with disabilities receive the right support, at the right time, in the right place; — this represents a 20 per cent increase year-on-year and represents an overall increase since 2020 of €1.8 billion; and — a dedicated unit has been established in the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, to drive reform and to lead a full review of Ireland's disability service model and this unit will work hand-in-hand with disabled people, their families, and representative organisations to shape a long-term vision for services to 2030; and further notes that: — under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, a special Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances that have special heating needs, for example, in the case of ill health, infirmity or a medical condition; — an Additional Needs Payment may also be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which an applicant is unable to meet out of their own resources; — in 2025 there were over 2,300 Additional Needs Payments made towards household bills and heating at a cost of almost €1.3 million; — there were 692 recipients of Heat Supplement at end of 2025; and — any person who considers they may have an entitlement to a payment under the SWA scheme is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service, and the National Community Welfare Contact Centre is in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.".”
“We are working on a process. We have introduced extra payments through budget 2026. We cannot just dismiss services and the extra investment in services in the way Deputy Murphy has done. That is also crucial and we continue to work on this process.”
“That is why, in budget 2026, a record amount of €3.8 billion was provided by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to disability services, to ensure people get the right supports at the right time and in the right place throughout the country, and to ensure that services are where they need to be for people with a disability. There was a response in budget 2026, and the continued interpretation that we have not responded is unfair and untrue. We will respond with a permanent measure and I look forward to engaging with all of the groups on what this looks like.”
“What Deputy Murphy is not acknowledging is that we have responded with a €10 increase in the weekly rate of payment. We have responded with the highest ever increases in the child support payment. We have responded with a €20 per month increase in the domiciliary care allowance and a €5 increase in the fuel allowance, all of which are permanent and none of which will be changed from year to year. That is why we are doing the work on the permanent cost-of-disability payment, on which I look forward to hearing Deputy Murphy's thoughts and proposals and engaging with him. That is why we made changes to the wage subsidy scheme in recent months to encourage employers to give more employment opportunities to people with a disability.”
“We have changed the rates and we continue to review the rates and their impact. As I said earlier, we will do a number of themed disability employment events throughout 2026 to encourage employers to offer opportunities to those with a disability, not only here in Dublin but across the country.”
“There are a number of issues. I made it very clear that we are working on introducing a permanent cost-of-disability payment. I look forward to hearing people's proposals on this with a view towards budget 2027. In relation to the employability issues raised by Deputies McGreehan and Ó Murchú, we have made changes to the wage subsidy scheme. At the end of November, we had 1,550 employers and 2,615 employees participating. I have made administrative changes, in particular in terms of centralising the decision-making process in this so that it is quicker. In terms of work and access, I am making changes in relation to adaptive technology so that we can support it. Deputy Ó Murchú has engaged with me on this a number of times and we are making changes to support employers who use assistive technology. It gives many more opportunities.”
“This will be a permanent payment to reflect the cost pressures - the very real pressures - people are under. I am determined to progress that in terms of budget 2027.”
“Absolutely. It is crucial and a priority for the Department. Within budget 2026, we included a €10 increase in the weekly rate of payment. That goes to €254. There was a €20 increase in the monthly rate of domiciliary care allowance increasing to €380 a month from 1 January. There were the highest ever increases in the child support payment - a €16 increase for children aged 12 or over, bringing it to €78, and an €8 increase for children under 12 years old, bringing it to €58. There was a €5 increase in the fuel allowance. We are very focused. I will be doing detailed consultation with people with disabilities, their advocates and the public generally about a permanent of cost-of-disability payment. This is not a payment that depends on the year-to-year budgetary situation.”
“I have asked my officials to prioritise this work with a view to bringing a proposal to the Government in the first half of this year.”
“There is an expansion of the wage subsidy scheme to those who acquire a disability while in employment and those who transfer from invalidity pension to partial capacity benefit. We are increasing the rates paid from April. The programme for Government is committed to introducing a permanent annual cost-of-disability support payment. In addition, under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, my Department established a strategic focus network on the cost of disability. My officials met with a number of organisations on 2 December at my Department's disability consultative forum, at which the cost-of-disability strategic focus network was the main agenda item. A meeting with the Disabled Persons Organisation's network is being organised. It is scheduled to take place next Friday, 23 January.”
“In addition, the budget 2026 allocation of €3.8 billion to the Department of Children, Disability and Equality for disability services in 2026 represents a significant investment to ensure that those with disabilities receive the right support at the right time in the right place. To make the welfare to work journey as smooth as possible in 2026, we provided additional supports for those moving from disability allowance or blind pension to take up work. They will be able to retain their fuel allowance payment for five years. Those getting disability allowance or blind pension who have children will be eligible for the back to work family dividend when taking up employment and moving off those payments.”
“I thank the Deputy for her question. In budget 2026, we have provided for a substantial package of €28.9 billion of social protection measures with €1.15 billion of new social protection measures. This contained significant targeted measures to support people with disabilities, including a €10 increase in the weekly rate of payment bringing the personal rates of payment to €254 per week from January and the highest ever increases in the child support payment - an increase of €16 to €78 per week for children aged 12 or over and of €8 to €58 for children under 12 years old. There is a €5 increase in the fuel allowance, bringing it to €38 per week from 1 January.”
“There will be further engagements next week in relation to the cost-of-disability payment to a permanent cost-of-disability payment and that is not one from year-to-year, depending on budgetary context. This will be a permanent payment but it is one the design of which will be shared with people with disabilities and their advocates.”
“I thank both Deputies. I am certainly aware of the pressures that people with disabilities are under. Nobody has an exclusive right in relation to that understanding. That is why we want a permanent payment, one that is shared and the design of which is agreed by those with disabilities and their advocates. That is why we are engaging in this process already ahead of budget 2027. Within my Department, I have made it very clear that this is my priority for budget 2027. We have increased payments this year ahead of inflation. We have increased the payments across all our payment schemes. We have increased fuel allowance and disability allowance. We have made changes in relation to a number of other measures. We will continue and engage.”
“We have also made changes to those moving from disability allowance to take up work so that they will be allowed to retain the fuel allowance payment. The budget 2026 allocation of €3.8 billion for the Department of Children, Disability and Equality for disability services in 2026 represents another significant investment. We are prioritising the work on a permanent cost-of-disability payment. I look forward to views from across the House as to who should get that and what the rate should be. The work on that is already under way.”
“We are currently providing 231,000 people across the country with a disability income support payment, with an expenditure of €3.24 billion in 2025. There are a number of significant measures in budget 2026. We have included a €10 increase in the weekly rate of payment, which would bring the personal rate of payment to €254 per week from this month. That is a €51 increase to weekly income support payments since budget 2021. There have been the highest ever increases in the child support payment, with an increase of €16 to €78 for children aged 12 or over and of €8 to €58 for children under 12. There has been a €20 increase in the rate of domiciliary care allowance, bringing that rate to €380 per month from 1 January.”
“My officials met a number of organisations on 2 December at my Department's disability consultative forum, at which the cost-of-disability strategic focus network was the main agenda item. A meeting with the Disabled Persons Organisations Network is scheduled for Friday, 23 January. The views of disabled people and all relevant research, such as the Indecon report and the more recent ESRI report, will be considered by my Department when progressing this work. To reiterate what I said earlier, we will also be having public consultation where we look forward to views from across the House in relation to what the permanent cost-of-disability payment should look like.”
“My Department will lead a strategic focus network, with the involvement of other relevant Departments and agencies, as a commitment under the national human rights strategy for disabled people. The work of this network, which will include disabled people and their advocates, will inform the approach to be taken in delivering on the programme for Government commitment. My officials have been asked to expedite this work with a view to bringing a proposal to the Government in the first half of this year. Officials have already held meetings with a number of organisations to discuss the possible structure and content of the strategic focus network on the cost of disability.”