Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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366. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the consideration his Department has given a programme (details supplied) for funding in the context of budget 2016, noting that its current funding is set to expire in a number of weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34800/16]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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The Providing Equal Employment Routes (PEER) project was one of 14 disability activation projects (DACT), in the Border, Midlands & West region, which were jointly funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Department of Social Protection (DSP), from the end of 2012 to April 2015. The project was delivered by the Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability (WALK).

After the ending of ESF funding, as provided for in EU regulations, my Department understands that the WALK PEER project obtained additional funding from other sources. As this additional funding terminated in July 2016, and following representations from WALK regarding funding difficulties relating to the PEER project, I decided to provide some short term funding to this project to enable it to continue service provision until early next year.

Recent work by the NDA and Indecon has shown that there are gaps between what DSP employment programmes for people with disabilities offer and what for people with high support needs who want to work are provided with through the health system. Arising from these findings, Budget 2017 provides for a €2 million programme to fund pre-activation supports for people with disabilities.

While the procedures for the operation of this programme are currently being worked out, this will take into account the recommendations of a working group chaired by the NDA and comprising of the Departments of Education and Skills, Health and Social Protection, together with the HSE, which was established to develop an effective co-ordinated policy approach and interdepartmental protocols to assist individuals with disabilities, including those who require a high level of support, to obtain and retain employment. This working group is due to report by the end of the year with an implementation plan, which will assist in determining decisions relating to the provision of services of this nature at a national level.