Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator McGreehan for raising this issue. My Department has responsibility for providing labour market services for people with a disability, assisting them with finding paid employment and preparing them for employment through training or employment programmes. Under the reasonable accommodation fund, my Department helps employers and employees with a disability to take appropriate measures to help a person with a disability to access, improve or retain his or her employment in the private sector. The fund is comprised of four types of grant, which Senator McGreehan referenced, namely the workplace equipment or adaptation grant, job interview interpreter grant, personal reader grant and employee retention grant.

It is important to note that the funding the Department makes available through the grants it administers does not impact or lessen the obligation on employers to provide reasonable accommodations. The provision of reasonable accommodations by all employers is a legally enforceable right for both jobseekers and employees. The Employment Equality Acts oblige employers to take reasonable steps to accommodate the needs of both employees and job applicants except where to do so would impose a disproportionate burden on them. Under section 47 (1) (a) of the Disability Act 2005, a public body shall, in so far as practicable "take all reasonable measures to promote and support the employment by it of persons with disabilities".

The Senator is calling for the extension of the grant scheme to public sector workers. As a public sector employer, the Department of Social Protection employes a dedicated disability liaison officer, DLO, who provides support to staff and managers through advice, information and reasonable accommodations. In 2020, 5.75% of total staff disclosed a disability as part of a staff census. New staff appointments to the Department are made aware of the DLO, the officer's role and the supports available as part of an induction and information programme for new entrants. This encourages and facilitates the ability of the DLO to ensure that necessary accommodations are notified and provided as early as possible. The Department utilises the Code of Practice for the Employment of People with a Disability in the Irish Civil Service to guide its induction, awareness and provision of workplace supports training and career progression. Staff assistive supports include ergonomic assessments, Irish Sign Language, ISL, interpreters, subtitling for videos circulated internally, adaptation of premises including bathrooms, doors, parking and so on, software for individuals with visual impairments or dyslexia, adjustments to work patterns, job role adjustments and working from home provisions. The Department also provides specialised equipment such as cameras, magnifiers, large monitors, adjustable desks, custom chairs, headsets and telephone equipment.

In 2020, the Department established an internal equality, diversity and inclusion unit which encompasses and further supports the DLO role, allowing for further resources and more reach to staff with disabilities.In the area of work experience for people with disabilities, the Department is committed to yearly participation in the willing, able, mentoring programme, a work placement initiative organised by the Association for Higher Education Access and Disability, AHEAD. The Department has consistently employed candidates from the programme each year.

The provision of such supports in the public sector is a matter for public sector employers and it is my firm view that the public sector should show leadership in this area by providing the supports necessary directly. Given the limited resources available to the Department of Social Protection to support people with disabilities and other groups that are marginalised, I do not believe the provision of such incentives to other public sector organisations is necessary. Where public sector organisations require resources for this purpose, it is a matter to be raised with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in the context of the annual budget Estimates.