Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 1 March 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Challenges Facing Small and Medium Enterprises: Discussion

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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If it is impacting business to the extent Ms Dunne stated, we should take it on board and contact our colleagues in the other committees and the Minister responsible. I thank her for that.

Last week, there was an interesting presentation from the National Disability Authority, NDA, Pobal and the Rehab Group on disability and the fact that a lot of people with disabilities cannot get work in Ireland. The Open Doors Initiative is operating and I know Chambers Ireland supports that. It is doing a lot of work in encouraging and supporting people with disabilities to gain employment. We are not doing well as a state in that space. I would be interested in hearing what the witnesses have to say on that. I should say I am on the board of the Open Doors Initiative, in case there is a conflict of interest. The witnesses may be aware of it. If not, they may look at it and see what it is doing. The initiative also assists migrants to gain employment. It helps employers because many of them do not understand what supports are available to get people with disabilities into the workforce. Employers for Change is an employer-led initiative, which the witnesses may not be aware of. It may help businesses to tap into that resource of people who have disabilities but could quite easily work with some support and help.

Mr. Picard mentioned the CSRD, which is also on our radar. I would be interested in engaging with him more on that. Perhaps he will follow up with us on it.