Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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103. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the way in which his Department plans to support persons with disabilities into employment in view of the recently published disability allowance survey 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35936/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The overall objective of the 2015 Disability Allowance Survey was to inform the design of supports and interventions which will assist people in receipt of the allowance to participate in the labour force according to their capacity. In doing so, the survey explored the work experience and ambitions of disability allowance (DA) recipients. The survey found that 13% of DA recipients are currently working (part-time or full-time) while 31% had never worked. 56% of respondents stated they had previously worked (full-time or part-time) but were not currently working. The survey also asked those who are not currently working to give an indication of their employment ambitions given the right supports. Of those who completed this question, 35% expressed an interest in working part time, while 8% expressed an interest in full time employment.

The survey, undertaken as part of my Department’s commitments under the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES), also explores disability allowance recipients’ experience and ambitions in four key areas: education level and ambitions; work experience and ambitions; supports which would be helpful to achieve employment ambitions and barriers to achieving employment ambitions. In addition, the survey explores recipients’ self-declared health status. The survey will provide considerable assistance to my Department and the Comprehensive Employment strategy overall in the management and development of supports and services to help persons with disabilities find and maintain employment where this is appropriate and voluntary.

In addition to the DA payment, my department manages a number of specific supports and measures to support people with disabilities in moving into employment. These include the wage subsidy scheme, which is targeted at employers to encourage employment of people with disabilities and the EmployAbility service, which supports people with disabilities who wish to work through the provision of a dedicated job coach. The department also provides a range of grants under the reasonable accommodation fund, which comprises employment supports to assist people with disabilities to access and progress in employment.

Moreover, people with a disability in receipt of social welfare income supports who work can retain a portion of their payment. For example, if a person’s doctor recommends that the work is of a rehabilitative or therapeutic nature, recipients of DA can work and earn €120 per week without affecting the rate of DA being paid, while if the weekly earnings are between €120 and €350, fifty per cent of the earnings will be disregarded in the DA means test. The results from the DA survey show that some 10% of recipients avail of this provision.

For people who are in receipt of invalidity pension or who have been in receipt of illness benefit for a minimum of six months, the partial capacity benefit scheme provides an opportunity for persons to take up employment and continue to receive an ongoing portion of their weekly social welfare payment, including any increase being paid in respect of a qualified adult or qualified children.

Under the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) for people with disabilities, the Department is progressively rolling out its full Intreo service to people with disabilities who wish to avail of the service on a voluntary basis. People with disabilities who present at INTREO service offices will be offered an interview by a case officer who will agree suitable personal progression plan with the individual and record the action plan for the person on the case management system. In addition, relevant officers in INTREO Centres have received training, to enable them to interact effectively with people with disabilities.

In addition, an interdepartmental group was established under the CES to review and make recommendations on making work pay for people with disabilities. The research afforded by the DA Survey formed an important input into the work of this group and to the formulation of strategy generally in this area.

The interdepartmental working group is currently completing its examination of this complex area and is due to present its report to Government before the end of the year.