This release is categorised as a CSO Frontier Series Output. Particular care must be taken when interpreting the statistics in this release as it may use new methods which are under development and/or data sources which may be incomplete, for example, new administrative data sources.
In this release, the term disability refers to people who experienced long-lasting conditions or difficulties derived from answers to Questions 15 and 16 of the Census 2022 questionnaire. From these questions, it is possible to identify the extent to which long-lasting conditions or difficulties were experienced. This release concentrates on people experiencing long-lasting conditions and difficulties to a great extent, or to any extent.
Within 2024, 15% of households on the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme included an adult experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent.
More than two in five (42%) households on the HAP scheme throughout 2024 which included an adult experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent were receiving a long-term disability payment.
Less than two in five (38%) people of working age (15–64 years) experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent were in employment in 2023.
The median earned income of people of working age (15-64 years) in employment who experienced at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent was €23,190 in 2023.
A Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant was awarded to 58% of new entrants to higher education experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent who applied in 2023.
Half (50%) of students experiencing long-lasting conditions or difficulties to a great extent who sat the Leaving Certificate in 2022 transitioned to higher education over the following two years.
More than two in three (71%) people experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent had either a medical card or GP visit card in 2022.
In this release, where the term disability is used, it refers to the experience of at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty as reported in Census 2022. The two questions on this subject were changed in Census 2022 to allow reporting on the extent to which people experienced long-lasting conditions and difficulties. From the questions, it is possible to identify three categories reflecting the extent to which long-lasting conditions or difficulties were experienced.
Note also that the categories include difficulties experienced due to old age. More information is provided in the Background Notes.
Due to the substantial changes in the long-lasting conditions and difficulties questions in Census 2022, the results of this release are not directly comparable with the previous release, Income, Employment and Welfare Analysis of People with a Disability 2019.
Using Census 2022 data, this release concentrates on people experiencing long-lasting conditions and difficulties to a great extent, or to any extent. The findings showed that 407,342 people experienced long-lasting conditions and difficulties to a great extent, while a total of 1,109,557 people reported experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent.
As any person captured in Census 2022 may have indicated they were experiencing multiple types of long-lasting conditions and difficulties, therefore, they may appear more than once in each table containing detailed breakdown of types of long-lasting conditions and difficulties.
Most tables contain a count for 'Total persons with a disability', which refers to the number of unique individuals. This should be considered the total row, which will not equal the total sum of the individual types of long-lasting conditions and difficulties.
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (16 December 2025) published Analysis of People Experiencing Long-Lasting Conditions or Difficulties 2022 - 2024. Using administrative data, this release analyses data on people experiencing long-lasting conditions or difficulties as reported in Census 2022, and provides insights into their employment, income, education, health, and housing. This is the second release of this kind, with the first based on Census 2016 data and called Income, Employment and Welfare Analysis of People with a Disability 2019. Due to the substantial changes in the long-lasting conditions and difficulties questions in Census 2022, results from the previous release are not directly comparable with this release.
Commenting on the release, Laura Delaney, Statistician in the Statistical Systems Coordination Unit, said: “Using administrative data, this release analyses data on people who experience long-lasting conditions or difficulties using Census 2022 data, in areas such as income, employment, education, health, and housing. Further breakdown on the extent to which these conditions and difficulties were experienced is included.
In this release, the term disability refers to people who experienced long-lasting conditions or difficulties derived from answers to Questions 15 and 16 of the Census 2022 questionnaire.
Long-Lasting Conditions and Difficulties
In Census 2022, the two questions on long-lasting conditions and difficulties were revised. People were asked to indicate the extent to which they experienced any long-lasting conditions or difficulties they had. From the questions, it is possible to identify the extent to which long-lasting conditions or difficulties were experienced. The categories include difficulties experienced due to old age. The findings showed that 407,342 people experienced long-lasting conditions and difficulties to a great extent, while a total of 1,109,557 people reported experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent.
Income and Employment
In 2023, less than two in five (38%) of people of working age (15-64 years) experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent were in employment, and their median earned income was €23,190.
For those receiving social welfare payments, the median payment in 2023 for people experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent was €12,552.
Education
Half (50%) of students experiencing long-lasting conditions or difficulties to a great extent who sat the Leaving Certificate in 2022 transitioned to higher education over the following two years.
A Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant was awarded to almost six in ten (58%) new entrants to higher education experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent who applied in 2023.
Health and Housing
More than two in three (71%) people experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent had either a medical card or GP visit card in 2022.
Looking at housing, 15% of households on the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme throughout 2024 included an adult (the primary or joint persons in a household) experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent.
More than two in five (42%) households on the HAP scheme throughout 2024 which included an adult (the primary or joint persons in a household) experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent were receiving a long-term disability payment."