'I was the braver person' to drop controversial paper on disability reforms, says Heather Humphreys

Presidential candidate Heather Humphreys also rejected the idea that she is failing to attract younger people or people from outside the northeast to her campaign. File photo: PA

The Fine Gael presidential candidate Heather Humphreys has said she was "the braver person" for dropping a green paper on disability reforms.

The Government last year scrapped a consultation after a storm of criticism from campaigners over proposed changes to disability allowance payments.

The green paper, published by then social protection minister Ms Humphreys, included proposed changes to disability payments, with the establishment of a three-tiered system. The proposal was widely criticised by disability organisations after it was published, with protests against the reforms having taken place in recent months.

At the time, Ms Humphreys said there were “significant concerns” about the proposals following its publication as a discussion document last September. 

Independent senator Tom Clonan had said last month that the Fine Gael presidential candidate had made it “absolutely clear” in a meeting with him in 2023 that there would be no changes to the green paper on disability reform and that changes came due to political pressure.

Speaking on RTÉ's News At One on Thursday, Ms Humphreys said the paper was only ever a consultation.

"It was never my intention to hurt anybody, and that's why I withdrew it, and I think I was the braver person for doing that," Ms Humphreys said.

"Because I had a cost of disability report in front of me, and I published the green paper with the recommendations of that report in the paper.

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"What I wanted to do was try and increase the payment for people who have more profound disabilities, because we all know it's more expensive for them to live. 

"That was the thinking behind it."

Ms Humphreys also rejected the idea that she is failing to attract younger people or people from outside the northeast to her campaign in light of polling which shows her trailing Catherine Connolly by 18 points.

"I can tell you now there's a lot of people out there canvassing for me. They support me," she said.

"I've got support from right across the political parties. I have a broad support across this country. And I'm certainly going to get out there. I'm going to tell the people about my vision for this presidency."