Disability group criticises Budget change

A BUDGET decision to change the qualification age for the Disability Allowance from age 16 to 18 was “nothing less than a cynical opportunity to save money”, the organisation which recommended it, in a wider submission to a department review, has said.

The move, which means a loss of almost €13,000 over two years to a person claiming the allowance, has caused outrage among families of children with disabilities.

Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin has said she will re-examine the decision.

Fine Gael social and family affairs spokeswoman Olwyn Enright said yesterday she would table amendments to the Social Welfare Bill if the Minister attempted to proceed with the proposal.

Up to last week children in receipt of a Domiciliary Care Allowance of almost €300 a month qualified for a Disability Allowance of more than €800 a month at the age of 16. They also became entitled to a medical card, travel allowance and other benefits. In last week’s Budget the Minister announced that the age for qualification would rise from 16 to 18.

“It is considered that the payment of Disability Allowance at age 16 carries with it the risk of creating a dependency on social welfare at a very young age and can generate disincentives to taking up education, training or employment opportunities,” her Budget statement said.

Ms Hanafin said the change had been implemented after a recommendation from the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies, an umbrella organisation for agencies that provide services to people with intellectual disability.

Brian O’Donnell, chief executive of the federation, said the organisation was very disappointed with the way its submission to the department review had been used.

He said the organisation had been told the review was to ensure better use of funding and not a reduction in funding to the sector. It made 29 recommendations, he said, including an increase in the Domiciliary Care Allowance, but only one was taken up.

“The effect of implementing this recommendation in isolation is a substantial reduction in entitlements to the persons and families concerned which we cannot support under any circumstances,” Mr O’Donnell said.

“This was nothing less than a cynical opportunity to save money in the context of a budgetary situation. We never envisaged they would do something as cynical as this.” He said the federation has accepted an invitation to meet the Minister next week. It would be calling on her to withdraw the measure or counterbalance it by increasing the Domiciliary Care Allowance.