Government accused of being 'cruel, and regressive' in slashing incomes for people with disabilities

Dáil heard about a disabled man called Gary, who told TDs and senators he had to choose between 'eating, being cold, or being in the dark'. File picture

Disabled people are being left stranded in their homes as they are being forced to choose between charging wheelchairs and mobility aids or turning on the heating, the Dáil has heard.

Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan accused the Government of taking money away from disabled people in the last budget, as he called for a new €400 emergency winter payment for those with disabilities.

The party held a briefing for TDs and senators in Leinster House on Wednesday to allow disabled people express the impact Budget 2026 had on them.

During leaders’ questions, Mr O’Callaghan told Taoiseach Micheál Martin the Government had cut people’s incomes by €1,400 in the budget.

“We heard about people who've had to stop getting their dialysis at home because they can no longer afford the electricity bills,” he said.

“This is a huge impact on their quality of life and their wellbeing.

We heard about people who've been forced to choose between heating their home and charging their electric wheelchairs and mobility aids, trapped now all winter because they cannot afford to charge their electric wheelchairs, being robbed of their independence.

"The decision, Taoiseach, by your Government, which slashed incomes for disabled people by up to €1,400, is cruel, and it's regressive."

Mr O’Callaghan also told the Dáil about a disabled man called Gary, who told TDs and senators he had to choose between “eating, being cold, or being in the dark”.

“Gary said the only way he can feed himself now is to buy food that is going out of date and reduced, cook it off and freeze it,” he said.

In response, the Taoiseach denied the Government had cut the incomes of disabled people, noting Mr O'Callaghan was referring to one-off cost of-living-payments.

“That's wrong. That's the first assertion and premise upon which the arguments you made are flawed,” he said.

Mr Martin said the Government was “prioritising budgetary measures towards disability, and will continue to do so”.

He argued there had been a 20% increase in funding for disability services, bringing the total allocation to €3.8bn.

The Taoiseach said social protection minister Dara Calleary was currently working on plans to introduce a permanent cost-of-disability payment. He will bring proposals to Government on it within the next six months.

Mr Martin added: “We're not restoring one-off payments across the board. We're not going to do that. But we are going to continue to support right through every area of Government, support for people with disabilities, and we're going to implement the new [disabilities] strategy.”