Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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52. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the steps that have been taken to promote the wage subsidy scheme, the EmployAbility service, partial capacity benefit, the workplace equipment-adaptation grant scheme, the employee retention grant scheme, and the disability awareness training scheme, with employers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15935/15]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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53. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the monitoring that takes place of the EmployAbility service's performance and outcomes. [15936/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 53 together.

The Government recognises the importance of increasing participation in employment for persons with a disability. To this end, the Department provides a wide range of supports for people with disabilities, which play an important role in supporting increased participation in the labour force by people with disabilities. These supports include the wage subsidy scheme (WSS), the EmployAbility (supported employment) service, the reasonable accommodation fund for the employment of people with disabilities, the disability awareness training scheme and the partial capacity benefit scheme. In 2014 expenditure on this range of supports amounted to some €31.5 million.

The range of employment supports for people with disabilities is promoted through the Department’s website and through employer engagement opportunities. Furthermore, EmployAbility service staff and the Department’s employment support officers regularly disseminate information on the supports available to both people with disabilities and private sector employers.

In relation to the monitoring of the EmployAbility service, the EmployAbility companies report to the Department on a monthly basis detailing their performance and progress against a number of key performance indicators including:

- a minimum target of 50% of jobseekers in employment with support from the programme;

- a minimum target of 50% of jobseekers exiting the programme while in employment; and

- a ration of job coach to client of 1:25.

I would also like to point out that an external review of the EmployAbility service is currently underway which will assess the effectiveness of the service, the reporting structures with the Department and present proposals for the future delivery of the service.