The Government has signalled its intention to introduce a Cost of Disability payment in Budget 2027, as pressure from disability advocacy groups and opposition parties continues to mount.
Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary hosted a Cost of Disability Strategic Focus Network Summit at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which drew over 1,000 submissions from disability organisations and received more than 350 attendees made up of disabled people and advocates, reports The Mirror.
Speaking at the event, Minister Calleary acknowledged the scale of the additional financial burden faced by households with a disabled member, noting that the extra cost could amount to as much as €555 per week in some cases, encompassing increased heating and energy costs, accessible transport, assistive technology, housing adaptations, specialised diets, and other disability-related expenses.
The minister described delivering a new payment as “so challenging” within current budgetary constraints, while Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Government hoped to put formal proposals to Cabinet later in the year, with a view to making a concrete start in Budget 2027, reports The Mirror.
The Disability Federation of Ireland noted that the removal of a range of one-off payments in last year’s budget had made life harder for many disabled people, saying those measures had previously made Budget 2025 more bearable for many in the disability community.
Disability advocates have called for an immediate interim payment, with some organisations proposing a weekly payment of at least €55 as a first step, while others have estimated that a universal payment covering all people with disabilities could cost in excess of €1 billion annually, reports The Mirror.
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