Benefits for People with Disabilities in Budget 2020

Minister Finian McGrath TD today (Thursday) in the Dáil outlined benefits for people with disabilities in Budget 2020. These include:

•  An additional funding of €13 million for approximately 1,600 school leavers with disabilities in 2020 to access supports and services
• An additional  €5 million for emergency residential care placements and in-home support for those with high support needs
• An additional €5 million for respite services
• Carer’s Support Grant of €1,700 will be paid in 2020 to over 126,000 carers. Carers will also benefit from an increased number of hours they can work outside the home – from 15 to 18.5 hours per week
•  An additional €2 million will be provided in 2020 to support implementation of the Autism Plan to improve services
• 12,000 Housing Adaptation Grants will be provided to support people with disabilities in their homes

Minister for Disability Issues, Finian McGrath has said that Budget 2020 is about delivering investment into the disability services so that we can continue to reform services and put the person with the disability at the centre of our thinking and planning.

Minister McGrath further said that funding secured in the Budget sees the overall Budget for Disability services exceed €2 billion

“I am pleased that I have been able to both build upon significant existing resources and to obtain additional funding for disability services in the 2020 Budget. With these additional monies secured, the overall Budget for disability services is in excess of €2billion”

Minister McGrath also said that he is happy to have achieved support in having the income threshold for people over 70 who qualify for medical cards increased.