The Government’s decision to disqualify teenagers with disabilities aged 16 and 17 from claiming the Disability Allowance will face opposition in the Dáil unless the measure is withdrawn, Fine Gael has warned.
The measure, part of last week’s contentious budget, will see the qualifying age for the €197 weekly allowance raised from 16 to 18.
Fine Gael’s social and family affairs spokeswoman, Olwyn Enright TD, said today that she will table amendments to the Social Welfare Bill, if the allowance is withdrawn from children aged 16-18.
Under the proposal, the Disability Allowance would be replaced with the €300 monthly Domiciliary Care Allowance instead. Fine Gael has claimed the measure would see families lose as much as €13,600 per year.
“Targeting the Disability Allowance is a cowardly move that hurts those who are already disadvantaged. Minister Hanafin has attempted to disguise her cuts as ‘ending a dependency culture’, but families of these children are not so easily fooled,” Deputy Enright said.
“Parents who have spoken out on behalf of their children, have made it clear that for some of them, further education or work is not an option, a point I made clear in speaking on the Budget last week.”
“I welcome the fact that Minister Hanafin has finally conceded to meet these families next week, but meeting them alone is not enough. Minister Hanafin needs to withdraw her proposal. If she doesn’t, Fine Gael will table an amendment to the Social Welfare Bill to try and stop this change,” Ms Enright concluded.
