Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Government recognises the importance of increasing participation in employment for persons with a disability. The Department provides a wide range of work-related supports, which in 2015 will cost approximately €37 million, solely for persons with a disability. A person with a disability is at all times free to avail of the Intreo service on a voluntary basis. A complete range of activation supports for people with disabilities is provided in ten locations. This number will be extended over time based on operational experience.

The youth guarantee implementation plan provides for the introduction of earlier and more intensive engagement by Intreo with young unemployed people on the live register. Pathways to Work 2015 includes a commitment to develop and evaluate options to extend employment services to people not on the live register and improve the promotion and communication of existing activation options for this group. Young people with disabilities will be considered in this context. It is important to ensure that young people with disabilities get these opportunities. The MOMENTUM programme operated by SOLAS for the Department of Education and Skills was designed to provide free education and training to long-term jobseekers. The Department is positively disposed to opening access to the MOMENTUM programme to people with disabilities and is currently investigating and considering how this group can be accommodated in the programme.

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