Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator. First, I do not know whether she was here for all of my contribution, but I have said a number of times this morning that we need to empower people. The Department wants to give people who have disabilities the opportunity to participate fully in society but also to empower them. The most important way by which anybody is empowered is to have the opportunity to go to work. I am absolutely committed to supporting people with disabilities in finding employment and to trying to break down any barriers that exist between the employee and the employer. The employability programme is doing great work in that space. That is why, when the funding for the ability programme was due to finished last year, I met Des Henry and the relevant groups. They are providing wonderful support to young people with disabilities to help them get back into the workforce. There are many different types of disabilities and they were able to support them. They have done good work in that regard. That is why I took money from the Dormant Accounts Fund to make sure funding continued when the EU funding ceased. We are making another application for similar EU funding. To be fair, it is about supporting and, most important, empowering people to realise their full potential. That is what we are about in the Department of Social Protection. As I said, our purpose is to ensure people have a basic income. There is a basic payment but there are also many add-ons to that, in terms of different supports that a person can get in my Department and other Departments. I outlined them earlier so I will not go through them again.

As to the cost of disability, we commissioned the Indecon report on the cost of disability. It was published and we are acting on it. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, is chairing a steering group. However, this relates to more than one Department. I do not have to tell the Senator that. It is right across the Government. The Minister of State is pulling together the Departments. The steering group will make findings which will be acted on and brought to the Government in due course.

On assisting people with disabilities, we have the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities, which falls under the remit of the Citizens Information Board. It is available to help people and advocates for those who have disabilities. The service is fully funded by my Department. We also have the Citizens Information Board to help people. I can honestly say that when people with disabilities go into Intreo offices, they will be treated with dignity and respect, as everybody is treated, to be fair. The Senator can rest assured that they will get the support they need.

On the Department's staff, as of 31 December 2021, 6.5% of departmental staff identified as having a disability.