Hundreds of people have taken part in a protest in Dublin calling for the immediate introduction of an emergency disability payment of €400. The Government has said it will introduce a permanent disability support payment on an annual basis and a public consultation is under way. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, who was in attendance, said: “This demonstration is about an immediate emergency payment for disabled people. “I travelled up to Dublin today so we could all participate in the protest, to express our dissatisfaction over the Government not implementing an emergency €400 payment for disabled people. If there is many costs, medical costs, food costs, heating costs, expenses associated with travel, they are all exacerbated at this moment in time by the financial and economic outset of Ireland.

Source: Irish Independent February 28, 2026 22:53 UTC