Hanafin will 'reflect' on teen disability payment
THE Government was last night "reflecting" on the demands of disability groups to reverse a controversial decision to restrict payments to disabled teenagers until they turn 18.
Following a series of meetings with disability groups and families over the last two days, a Government spokesman last night said the Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin was "reviewing the situation".
While not using the word "review", which might point to yet another Budget climbdown, the minister's own spokeswoman last night confirmed that Ms Hanafin was "reflecting" on the issues raised by Inclusion Ireland, Down Syndrome Ireland, Rehab, the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies (NFVB) and People with Disabilities in Ireland.
The organisations are unhappy with Budget proposals to bar disabled teenagers, aged 16 and 17, from claiming disability allowance worth €800 per month.
Teenagers currently receiving the allowance will not be affected by the proposals but, in future, teenagers could stand to lose out on around €14,000 over two years.
"From what I understand, she's reflecting on what those groups are saying to her and the issues they have raised. That's where it is at the moment," Ms Hanafin's spokeswoman said.
On Tuesday, Inclusion Ireland and Down Syndrome Ireland advised the minister to postpone the disability cutbacks for a year and then phase them in over two years.
"The deferral for a year would give time for further work to be done on the plans and allow for a full consultation process. There could be discussions on the way extra costs associated with disability could be met," the CEO of Inclusion Ireland, Deirdre Carroll, said.
The National Federation of Voluntary Bodies (NFVB), which provides services to 22,000 people who have an intellectual disability, said it was opposed to the Budget plan and had requested Ms Hanafin not to implement them.
Earlier this week, Ms Hanafin defended the changes to the disability payments, and insisted that teenagers who would not receive payment until they are 18 would instead receive a €300 monthly domiciliary care allowance.
- ine Kerr Political Correspondent
