DSI Cost of Disability Submission
This year, the Department of Social Protection began a public consultation on the cost of disability in Ireland.
Down Syndrome Ireland has now made its submission with input from families, members, advocates and our member support teams.
For too long, individuals with Down syndrome and their families have carried the additional costs of disability quietly, absorbing expenses that are not optional and that arise simply because of disability.
Through our consultations, members told us clearly:
these costs are constant, they change across life, and they place real pressure on families—from early therapies and education supports, to employment, housing and ageing.
This is not about extras.
It is about fairness.
A Cost of Disability payment must recognise the real, lifelong costs people face and ensure that no one faces poverty because of disability. It must be:
- Permanent and predictable
- Non-means-tested
- Compatible with work
- Grounded in lived experience
And it must sit alongside real action to address service gaps and barriers.
Under our Unity 26–30 strategy, we are committed to one clear principle:
One purpose. One standard. Everywhere.
We look forward to working with Government to ensure this becomes a meaningful step towards dignity, inclusion and equal participation for people with Down syndrome across Ireland.
You can read the submission below, or download it here.