Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I would like to welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan.

Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for being with us this morning and for taking my Commencement matter. I am asking the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clearly set out the current requirements for local authorities to provide work placement opportunities for individuals with disabilities, to detail funding that has been allocated to support this and to confirm whether all local authorities have complied with the targets set out in the comprehensive strategy for people with disabilities 2015-2024.

I believe this is a conversation about fairness, equal opportunity and the kind of public service that we want to build. It should be one that reflects the diversity and the lived experience of the community it serves. For too long, people with disabilities have faced barriers, not only in accessing employment but in being given the chance to demonstrate their skills and to contribute fully to society. Work placement programmes, particularly those delivered at local level, are some of the most effective ways of breaking down barriers. Across our local authorities, there is an enormous opportunity to show leadership by providing proper structured placements on programmes that support people with disabilities to gain experience, build their confidence and secure long-term employment. Many councils are already doing excellent work in partnership with community organisations and disability services such as AHEAD. However, to ensure equity and consistency nationwide, we need clarity on what exactly is required of each local authority and what oversight is in place to monitor the delivery.

I raise this question on behalf of a constituent of mine in Cork North-West who has been assured for the last 18 months by the disability officer of Cork County Council that she is on a placement list, but no position was has been made available. She has been fobbed off time and again and it is not good enough. This has been going on for quite a long time. She was told that she was on a list for a placement, but now, after 18 months, she has been told she should just apply for the open employment opportunities that are coming up with the local authority. To my mind, to her mind and to the minds of members of her family, she has been fobbed off continually for that period of time. I believe that if we are serious about improving disability inclusion in the public service, adequate funding must be provided, not just to create placements, but to provide appropriate supports, accessible workplaces, mentoring and training. This is why the details of funding allocations are essential and why I am asking the Minister to look at them.

Finally, I want to address compliance with the comprehensive strategy for people with disabilities, which set a clear and measurable target that 6% of public service roles should be held by persons with disabilities. As the strategy period concluded last year, we need a full and transparent account of where each local authority stands. We need to know if targets have been met and, if not, what steps are being taken to ensure progress. Compliance cannot be aspiration; it has to be achieved. These are targets that we set out and we need to ensure that we are compliant with them. It is about creating workplaces that are genuinely inclusive and ensuring that our public services live up to the values they promote. People with disabilities bring perspective and expertise that strengthen our institutions and when we fail to include them, we weaken our public service. We need to ensure that every local authority plays its part and that the goals we set out in the comprehensive strategy translate into genuine opportunities.

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Lynch for raising this important matter before the House, which I am taking on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I hope the Senator is settling in well here in the Seanad. It is a wonderful forum. I was here twice - from 2002 to 2007 and from 2016 to 2020. It is a great forum to raise issues of national importance and local importance such as this.

It is important to note that, under section 159, of the Local Government Act 2001, the chief executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements that are necessary to carry out the functions of the local authority. Each local authority is an independent legal entity and an individual employer. Policy for the Disability Act rests with the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality and the National Disability Authority, NDA, falls under the remit of that Department. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is responsible under Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 for the collection of data annually on compliance by local authorities with their obligation to meet the statutory targets set for the employment of people with disabilities. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage submits this data annually to the National Disability Authority and it is included in the NDA's annual report on compliance with Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005.

The collection of this data is an important indicator of how local authorities are fulfilling their obligations to ensure people with disabilities can participate in the workforce. In 2023, the most recent year for which data has been published by the NDA, all of the 31 local authorities met the 3% target that applied in 2003. Also on a positive note, in 2023, eight local authorities met the 6% target that applies for 2025. While there is a very high level of compliance by local authorities, I believe there is scope for more to be done by all public bodies.More work is required across the board on recruitment and retention policies and particularly on supporting employees to share their disability status. The National Disability Authority plays a very important role in providing support and guidance to public bodies in this regard.

The local government sector partners with AHEAD on the Willing Able Mentoring, WAM, programme, to offer paid and mentored work placements for graduates with disabilities. The local government sector was recognised at the WAM leaders awards in 2023 and 2024 for participation and support for the WAM programme, which aims to promote access to the labour market for graduates with disabilities. As Senator Lynch said, initiatives such as the WAM programme can help foster improved participation by persons with disabilities in the workplace and it is important that public sector employers lead by example in this way.

Senator Lynch stated her constituent has waited 18 months on the list for a placement and that she, the Senator, would like more clarity and oversight. I am not an expert on this but I would have thought that 18 months was quite a long time. I would not blame Senator Lynch for sharing these reservations. Chief executives are responsible for all staffing matters in local authorities.

Eileen Lynch (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter and I appreciate it does not fall under his remit. I find the reply to be quite disappointing. I know the statistics that all of the local authorities met the 3% target in 2023 in terms of employing people with disabilities and eight met the target of 6%. As of 2024, the target is meant to be 6% across the board. The figures are disappointing in terms of what we are doing to resolve this.

My understanding from what the Minister of State has said is that there is no requirement for any local authority with regard to these disability work placements. I note that perhaps I should have raised it as a disability issue, but as it was a local authority matter, I felt that was the appropriate Department with which to raise it. It is disappointing to get actual confirmation, as I see it, that there is no obligation regarding these work placements. There is the WAM programme, which is provided via AHEAD, and many local authorities participate in this and it has been very successful in some areas, but this issue is definitely something we need to look into. My constituent has been on this mar dhea list for 18 months and it is disappointing to see there is no actual scheme or accountability. I note the point that all employment lies with the chief executive of each council but this is something we need to look into.

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Lynch for raising this very important issue and for her remarks. I agree it is important that we enhance the opportunities for disabled people who can earn a living to do so. It is important that we lead by example and maximise opportunities and access for disabled people to get meaningful work in the Civil Service and the public sector. The recently published national human rights strategy for disabled people from 2025 to 2030 recognises this and includes compliance with the 6% minimum statutory employment target for disabled people as a priority action. Senator Lynch has raised some interesting and informative views and I will bring them back to the Minister.