Written answers

Tuesday, 24 January 2017

Department of Social Protection

Employment Support Services

Photo of Margaret Murphy O'MahonyMargaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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75. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the specific measures he plans to introduce to address the issue of high levels of unemployment being experienced by persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2730/17]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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In Ireland, as in many other countries, the employment rate for people with disabilities is considerably lower than those without disabilities. The reasons for this are diverse and demand a wide-ranging response. The Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) for People with Disabilities sets the overall direction of the government’s response to this problem and seeks to reduce barriers to employment and improve pathways to work. My Department actively participated in the development of the strategy and takes a full part in its implementation. For instance, among the commitments contained in the CES was the setting up of an interdepartmental group, under an independent chair, to review and make recommendations to “Make Work Pay” (MWP) for people with disabilities through the examination of the complex interactions between the benefit system, the additional costs associated with work for people with disabilities and net income earnings from employment. I understand that the group is concluding its work and the report will be published soon. Of course, along with its comprehensive range of income supports, my Department provides for a range of supports to allow people with disabilities to improve their employability, to seek and take up employment. I stress that take-up of the employment supports are of a voluntary nature and are tailored to individual circumstances and a person’s capacity to engage with education, training or job-search programmes. For instance, my Department has progressively extended its Intreo service to persons with disabilities and over 60 officers have received training to enable them to interact effectively with people with disabilities. The Department of Social Protection provides a wide range of work related supports for people with disabilities.

One of the principal supports is access to the EmployAbility service, which provides job-coach support to people with disabilities in accessing jobs in the open labour market. Other supports include the provision of employment subsidies through the Wage Subsidy Scheme, workplace adaptation grants and specialist training courses that are specially designed for people with disabilities. Funding is also provided to AHEAD (Association for Higher Education Access and Disability) for the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) programme, an employment placement programme for graduates with disabilities.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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