Written answers

Tuesday, 6 July 2021

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Disability Services

Photo of Pauline TullyPauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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369. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the funding that was allocated for assistive technologies for persons with disabilities in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, respectively; the unmet need for assistive technologies in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, respectively; the additional funding needed to increase funding for assistive technologies by 5%, 10% and 25%, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36451/21]

Photo of Pauline TullyPauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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370. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the funding allocated to the disability awareness support scheme in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; the additional cost of increasing funding to the scheme by 5%, 10% and 25%, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36452/21]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 369 and 370 together.

In addition to providing income supports the Department of Social Protection (DSP) provides a wide range of employment-related supports for both jobseekers / employees with disabilities and employers seeking to support an employee who has a disability or when employing a jobseeker (with a disability). These include:

A) The Disability Awareness Support Scheme (DASS Grant)

DASS provides a contribution towards the cost of disability awareness training for private sector employers. The training to be delivered must, for example, provide clear and accurate information about disability, address questions that employers/employees may have, and cover anti-discrimination / equal opportunities legislation. The value of the grants available is as set out below:

First year a company applies 90% of eligible training costs up to a maximum of €20,000
Second and subsequent years a company applies 80% of eligible training costs up to a maximum of €20,000

B) The Reasonable Accommodation Fund Grants (RAFG)

The four grants available under this fund are:

1. Employee Retention Grant (ERG)

2. Job Interview Interpreter Grant (JIIG)

3. Personal Reader Grant (PRG)

4. Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant WEAG)

The Workplace Equipment / Adaptation Grant:

With regards to assistive technology, where a person with a disability has been offered employment, is in employment or is self-employed and requires a more accessible workplace or adapted equipment to do the job, s/he or the employer can apply for a grant towards the costs of adapting premises or equipment. A maximum grant of €6,350 is available towards the cost of adaptations to premises or equipment. Applications in excess of this sum are also considered, on an individual basis, up to a maximum of €9,523 if specialist training for assistive technology is required.

It is important to note that the DASS and WEAG grants differ from the income supports (such as Disability Allowance or the Blind Pension) provided by the Department, in that they are demand led. The overall value of the grants provided each year rises or falls in response to the number of applications received. It is therefore not possible to predict in advance the impact of percentage increases with any degree of certainty. However, details of the value and number of grants provided, by grant type, in 2019, 2020 and 2021 are set out in the tables below for information.

I would also add that the funding the Department makes available through the grants it administers, does not impact or lessen the obligation on employers to provide reasonable accommodations. The provision of reasonable accommodations by all employers is a legally enforceable right for both jobseekers and employees. The Employment Equality Acts oblige employers to take reasonable steps to accommodate the needs of both employees and job applicants with disabilities, except where to do so would impose a disproportionate burden on them.

Table 1: WEAG

Year Number of grants provided Value of the grants provided
2019 37 €81,968
2020 42 €84,150
2021*

€0

* Up to May 2021

Table 2: DASS

Year Number of Companies Value of the grants provided
2019 12 €52,959
2020 4 €5,598
2021 * 2 €6,650

* Up to May 2021

By way of additional information, the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (for people with disabilities) 2015 – 2024, contains the following action (action 3.7). ‘Support relevant departments in the implementation of the Make Work Pay Recommendation No. 3. (“Develop and bring forward proposals to address access to or affordability of necessary aids / appliances / assistive technology required for everyday living for those people with disabilities whose entry, retention or return to work could be jeopardised by being unable to afford these items, given the level of employment income, and whose needs are not met by other schemes of assistance.”). The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (D/CEDIY) are the lead department with regard to this action and they have established a working group to examine the issue.

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