Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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500. To ask the Minister for Social Protection to assure those in receipt of a payment under the jobseeker's scheme or any other payment who may be eligible for supported employment due to illness, injury, mental ill health or disability that they will continue to have access to the additional support they need through the EmployAbility programme to return to the labour force regardless of their referral to and whilst working with the Intreo or JobPath programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9813/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The EmployAbility programme is a national employment service dedicated to improving employment outcomes for job seekers with a disability. EmployAbility participants are people with a disability, which can range from physical to mental health, who are able to work a minimum of 8 hours per week and who need the support of a job coach to obtain employment in the open labour market. There are a total of 23 EmployAbility services in Ireland, each having a specific geographical remit. All potential EmployAbility clients must be referred through a Department of Social Protection INTREO office, or a Local Employment Service.

Participants should be in receipt of a disability-related social welfare payment, such as disability allowance, illness benefit, or invalidity pension. Where a potential client is not on a disability-related payment but on another payment, such as jobseeker’s payments, a medical certificate or letter from their GP to verify their illness/injury/disability is required for registration on the service.

I can assure the Deputy that there are no plans to change the eligibility criteria in this regard to access this service.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.