Dr. Aideen Hartney:

This involves a range of factors. There are many private sector employers that have embraced the equality, diversity and inclusion, EDI, agenda. We sometimes find that disability can be coming at the tail end of all of those considerations and they think they have done a great job because there are LGBTQ or ethnic minorities employed. It is about looking at all grounds equally in that regard.

Some of the work we have done has shown that there is a clear business case for employing people with disabilities. Some of it is about greater likelihood of retention, so there is lower recruitment. There is a whole range of things. There is probably more work to be done in making that business case effective and making employers aware of that. It would help overcome some of those challenges and battles. There is then whatever supports Government can offer, whether it is in terms of the reasonable accommodation side of things or about linking employees and employers. We persistently hear from employers that they do not know where to find somebody with a disability. We hear that they would love to employ somebody but they do not know where to find them. Some kind of referral mechanisms might be helpful.

It is about that EDI agenda and highlighting those areas of good practice and where they have benefited the employer. That is probably what is most motivating to people on the business end of things.