People with disabilities in Tipperary invited to help shape new annual support scheme
People in Tipperary living with disabilities, along with carers and those working in the sector, are being urged to share their experiences to help shape a new State support payment.
The Government is currently designing an Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment and has opened a public consultation to gather feedback from people with lived experience.
The scheme will be designed to help people with disabilities with household costs, such as lighting and heating, communication costs, mobility and transport, special equipment or machines, and medicines.
Tipperary Fine Gael TD Michael Murphy said that the public consultation is now open, and it enables the Government to understand what would help to support people with disabilities.
"Disabled people face extra costs every day and families are feeling it. We are committed to introducing a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment and putting supports in place that will make a real difference for disabled people and families right across Tipperary,” Deputy Murphy said.
Deputy Murphy said consultation with disabled people is essential to ensure the payment addresses the real and ongoing costs they face.
"Improving outcomes for disabled people is a top priority for the Government. Consultation with disabled people is hugely important to ensure that their voices remain central to the development of this payment and to identifying other cross-Government ways to address the cost of disability in a meaningful and sustainable way,” he added.
The consultation will remain open until 5pm on Tuesday, April 5.
The findings from the public consultation will also inform the Strategic Focus Network Summit on the cost of disability, which is taking place on May 13, as part of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People.
"I would encourage disabled people, their families and carers in Tipperary to make a submission and ensure their voices are heard,” Deputy Murphy added.
Submissions can be made in a number of ways, aiming to ensure as many people as possible can share their views.
Written submissions can be sent to COD Consultation, Disability and Carers Policy Unit, Floor 5, Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, Store Street, Dublin 1, D01 WY03, or emailed to DCPolicyConsultation@welfare.ie, with COD Consultation in the subject line.
Video submissions can also be made, and emailed to the above email address, or submissions can also be made over the phone by calling 0818 607 780 on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, between 10am and 12pm, and 2pm and 4pm.
The Government says the feedback received will directly influence how the payment is structured and delivered.