Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is our first time in the Chamber together since he took up his new position. It is nice to have the Minister of State here.

In my Commencement matter, I am asking the Minister of State to outline the supports specifically for self-employed persons with disabilities. It is clear from speaking to self-employed persons with disabilities in my county of Louth and, indeed, in my engagement with people throughout the country that supports are not effectively supporting self-employed entrepreneurs who have a disability. It is a pressing matter and it affects a significant portion of society.

People with disabilities are no different from the rest of us in their entrepreneurial spirit and ambition. Often self-employment can be a viable employment option as it offers the flexibility and independence that is required in order to work around a condition. However, for these entrepreneurs to thrive, adequate supports and resources are paramount. That is why I hope the Minister of State and the Department can engage with disabled entrepreneurs in order to bring about the creation of a new innovation and equity fund for entrepreneurs and self-employed persons with disabilities.

While there are Government programmes available to support entrepreneurs and small businesses, they often come with strict criteria and are not specifically tailored to the specific needs of persons with disabilities. This fund would provide resources and supports catering for the unique challenges and opportunities that entrepreneurs and people with disabilities may face.

The Department should also work with the Department of Social Protection to ensure that in light of the cost of disabilities and the greater barrier to business start-up, there is a situation where persons with disabilities can maintain equitable supports while setting up a business. There also needs to be an easy pathway into income support systems when start-ups are not successful, such as a bridging allowance that provides income.

We need to adjust the delivery of entrepreneurial support schemes for the needs of individual participants by offering more individual supports. We also need to collect data, including measuring the impact of these dedicated entrepreneurial schemes. Entrepreneurship is a vehicle not only to foster economic development but also to promote inclusion and diversity.We all understand the important role entrepreneurship plays in creating jobs, boosting innovation and generating economic growth. However, it can be a challenge for entrepreneurs with disabilities to access capital and resources, leaving them excluded from the benefits that entrepreneurial activity brings. The establishment of a special fund for entrepreneurs and self-employed persons with disabilities can provide a vital lifeline to such individuals, enabling them to access funding and resources to start, develop and grow their businesses. For instance, this fund could provide grants to cover start-up costs, purchase equipment and-or improve accessibility in their workplace. A flexibility in some of the current grants could be adapted to ensure that they work for the self-employed disabled persons.

In this country, people with disabilities have lower levels of labour activation, which causes a big trap for many. Often, when a disabled person becomes an entrepreneur or self-employed, he or she can lose his or her benefits. One way, for instance, to support disabled entrepreneurs is to allow them to retain their medical cards. I ask that the Government supports disabled entrepreneurs and ensures that they do not end up in a poverty trap. A special fund for entrepreneurs with disabilities will not only promote economic growth it will also bring us closer to creating a more inclusive society.