The findings of a report on the treatment of disability and carer’s benefit applicants are a damning indictment of a system that routinely fails the very people it’s supposed to support, according to Social Democrats social protection spokesperson Liam Quaide.
Deputy Quaide said:
“According to the Citizens Information Board (CIB) report, people applying for disability and carers’ payments are being left in limbo for months and, in many cases, for well over a year while appeals of refused applications drag on.
“The report accords with my own experience supporting constituents for whom these appeals are taking a severe psychological and financial toll – on people who are already dealing with disability or the demands of providing full-time care for a family member.
“It is indefensible that in a country with successive budget surpluses, disabled people and carers are being subjected to an adversarial system that appears designed to wear down their resolve to seek basic, necessary entitlements.
“The report highlights that initial applications for these payments are frequently refused, only to be granted on appeal many months later – this prolonged process means families are left without income support to which they are legally entitled, forcing many into debt or poverty.
“The evidence from the CIB suggests that this pattern of application refusals followed by lengthy appeals is not simply a case of administrative inefficiency – it reflects systemic issues: a culture of automatic refusal, excessive bureaucracy, and a failure to apply compassion in decision-making.
“People with genuine medical conditions and caring responsibilities should not be treated as though they are trying to game the system.
“We need reforms that ensure decisions are made quickly, transparently, and fairly at the first stage, so applicants are not forced into lengthy appeals – we also need greater accountability for decision-makers who preside over such high rates of overturned refusals.
“The CIB report underscores the urgent need for legislative and administrative change, including greater investment in staffing and a commitment to treating applicants with dignity and respect.
“This report clearly shows that the government’s approach to social welfare is causing real harm to disabled people and carers – it must overhaul the appeals system, adopt a rights-based approach to disability and carers’ supports, and ensure that those who dedicate their lives to caring for family members, or who live with disability themselves, are no longer treated as second-class citizens by the State.”
September 10th, 2025