Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is an important scheme. It creates an incentive for employers to take on people with disabilities and reduces any costs that might be associated with same. It makes it easier for employers to take on people with disabilities, which is important given the unemployment rate among people with disabilities. There are lots of obstacles to employment, some of them cultural and others more structural. We have very low employment rates and schemes like this are a very important part of the solution. They are not the whole solution but are certainly part of it.

We welcome the fact that the minimum weekly hours threshold is being reduced from 21 to 15. That makes sense and is a good move but there is no mention of the subsidy rate being increased. The Minister of State has said the rate is not linked to the minimum wage but it probably should be. The minimum wage is currently €11.30 but will soon rise to €12.70, which is an increase of €1.40. The subsidy is €6.30 so we are effectively eating into that by €1.40. That is effectively what is happening because it is not keeping pace. The advantage to employers, which is important to encourage them to go out and find people with disabilities and take them on, is substantially reduced if it does not keep pace.

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