Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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120. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the supports that are in place to assist victims of domestic violence to access rent supplement; the number accessing the supplement; the number of refusals; the number applying for associated supports under the supplementary welfare supports by county to date in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24673/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The accommodation needs of victims of domestic violence are met through a joined-up service delivery model provided by Tusla with the close involvement of the various housing authorities nationwide.

Access to Rent Supplement can be provided on referral by Tusla or by prescribed Tusla-funded service providers. This provides victims of domestic violence with a fast track approval and screening process with a simplified means test to get immediate access to rent supplement so that they are not prevented from leaving their home because of financial concerns.

The standard rent supplement means test does not apply to these applicants for an initial three month period. After three months, a further three month extension may be provided, subject to the usual rent supplement means assessment. After six months, if the tenant has a long-term housing need, they can apply to their local housing authority for social housing supports and, if eligible, will be able to access the Housing Assistance Payment, a social housing support provided by Local Authorities.

While this protocol to assist victims of domestic violence in accessing rent supplement was initially introduced in response to the pandemic, I was pleased to announce in November last year that the measure has been made a permanent feature of the Rent Supplement Scheme, recognising that the underlying rationale for this support will be required long after the impact of the pandemic has receded.

Access to rent supplement is additional and complementary to the range of other supports already in place for victims of domestic violence.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, a supplement can be awarded to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. In addition, officers can make a single exceptional needs payment to help meet essential, once-off expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. Decisions on payments and supplements are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case. Statistics are not maintained on the number of applications for additional supports relating directly to victims of domestic violence.

There are 45 victims of domestic violence currently being supported under the Protocol, with 214 cases supported since the Protocol came into operation in August 2020. There have been no refusals to date.

Table 1 shows the number accessing support by county to date and the current recipients by county.

Table 1 - The number accessing support by county to date and the current recipients by county.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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121. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress that has been made to support groups facing additional challenges accessing work such as lone parents, persons with disabilities and minority groups include Travellers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24686/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Pathways to Work 2021-2025, the Government’s national employment strategy, was published in July of last year. The aim of the strategy is two-fold: to support those who lost their jobs during the pandemic, and helping those who, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, already faced disadvantages in the labour market.

One of the strategy’s five key strands is ‘Working for All – Leaving No One Behind’,which has the objective of promoting better labour market outcomes for all, including those facing additional barriers to work such as lone parents, people with disabilities and minority groups including Travellers. Pathways to Workhas targeted measures aimed at reducing unemployment for each of these groups.

For example, a key goal in the Pathwaysstrategy is to increase employment rates of people with disabilities. Measures aimed at helping people with disabilities find employment include implementing the Early Engagement Roadmap for jobseekers with disabilities who wish to voluntarily engage with my Department’s employment services.

The Traveller and Roma community face particular disadvantage in the labour market. Pathways to Workcommits to engaging with community representative bodies to produce Traveller (and/or Roma)-specific employment service engagement tools and developing a Traveller and Roma training, enterprise and employment plan. My Department is currently engaging on a cross-Departmental basis and with Traveller representative groups to progress these commitments.

Moreover, since a Government decision in December 2021, my Department, through its Intreo offices, will promote more referrals to Community Employment schemes for people most distant from the labour market including persons with disabilities, members of the Traveller and Roma communities, ex-offenders and lone parents, who meet the eligibility criteria.

Overall, a strong recovery in the labour market is leading to significantly more employment opportunities than was envisaged when Pathways to Work was launched in July 2021. While this development is welcome, I am keenly aware some groups continue to face challenges in accessing employment.

I have asked the Labour Market Advisory Council to submit a report to me later this year on progress in the implementation of Pathways to Work commitments, including those relating to supporting groups facing additional challenges accessing work.