Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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381. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if funding will be allocated to programme (details supplied) in County Louth from the budget 2018 disabilities allocation; the amount of funding that will be allocated in this case; and if this scheme forms part of the stated commitment that all school leavers with disabilities should have access to supports and services which meet their needs as they make the transition from school to adult life [44963/17]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Engaging with young people with disabilities at a time when their disability threatens to keep them out of the workforce is critical if we are to create the best possible opportunities for people with disabilities to fulfil their potential. One response to this situation is a new pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities, called the Ability programme, which was launched in September.

The aim of the Ability programme is to bring young people with disabilities who are not work-ready closer to the labour market. The programme will promote employment prospects and meaningful social roles for young people with disabilities and in particular, young people who are distant from the labour market using a range of person-centred supports. The focus of the programme will be on projects aimed at young people with disabilities (aged 15 – 29) designed to assist in their transition from school to further education and employment.

The funding for this programme will amount to some €10 million over a three year period and is co-funded by the Irish Exchequer and the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning operational programme, 2014-2020 (PEIL, 2014 – 20). At the launch of the programme, national, regional and local organisations that have experience of working with people with a disability were invited to submit proposals for funding to Pobal, who are the administrative agents of the programme for the Department. The minimum grant that can be applied for will be for €200,000, while the maximum grant will be for €750,000 over the funding period. Organisations, such as the one for which the Deputy provided details of, can submit an application for funding, either in their own right or as a part of a consortium, through Pobal’s website between the 4th December 2017 and 31st January 2018. Organisations will also be able to register on the Pobal website to attend information events about the application process, two of which are to be held in Dublin tomorrow. Following the closing date for applications in January, Pobal will appraise the applications and successful applicants will be notified by April 2018.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.