Dr. Meredith Raley:

The gap as measured is fairly simple. We know the number of adults in Ireland with a disability. At the last census it was one in five people, a little over 20%. Every country knows the number of adults with a disability. It is the number of those adults who are in employment versus the number of adults in the population so it is a fairly simple gap to calculate on that basis. It does not take into account that in Ireland, for instance, many people with disabilities are not seeking employment for various reasons. They would still be counted in the employment gap but would not show up in Ireland's unemployed numbers because they are not currently seeking employment. They live on social welfare or with family.

The gap calculated by the EU takes into account all adults. The EU average is approximately 50% of adults with a disability are in employment where Ireland's average is approximately 30%, so that is quite a gap. It is calculated on that basis. Not everyone is looking for work. Some people have been discouraged from looking for work, some have given up, some feel they cannot work in the current environment and some feel they cannot work at all. The unemployment numbers in Ireland would not fully capture all the people with disabilities who are not working at the moment but possibly could, if the conditions changed.