Disability Issues
Dail Éireann — 2026-03-03
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Micheál Martin (FF), Cork South-Central

In response to Deputy Paul Murphy, again, the budget has put in place substantial provision, particularly in terms of our child support payments - record increases in child support payments. In terms of the domiciliary care allowance, there was a substantial increase of €20 again, which was on top of last year's €20 increase. Combined with the working family payment, increases in entitlements and expansion of their access to entitlements, particularly free fuel, overall, there has been a very substantial embedded provision. There is also the 20% increase in disability services.
In response to Deputy Heneghan, an aidhm atá againn ná níos mó tacaíochta a thabhairt d’fhostóirí, níos mó daoine faoi mhíchumas a fhostú agus níos mó deiseanna a chur ar fáil dóibh. Táimid chun é sin a dhéanamh agus tá a lán slite againn chun é sin a dhéanamh agus an aidhm sin a bhaint amach. Is pas saor i dtaobh taistil de a bhí faoi chaibidil ag an Teachta agus fiosróidh mé leis an Aire cad é an scéal agus conas is féidir linn an scéim a fheabhsú.
In response to Deputy McDonald, I will talk to the Minister for Education and Youth in respect of the Holy Family School for the Deaf in Cabra. There had been an issue with the recruitment of Irish sign writers - full-time teaching positions. I do not know whether that is the background to this or not, or whether it is a sanction issue, but it would be much better if schools had permanent in situ teachers as opposed to hiring people in. I will follow it up.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-03-03/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:02+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-03