Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides a wide range of supports for jobseekers and existing employees with disabilities. These supports include the Reasonable Accommodation Fund.

The Reasonable Accommodation Fund is comprised of four grants which were designed to assist jobseekers and existing employees with disabilities, and to encourage employers in the private sector to recruit Jobseekers with disabilities.

The Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant funds premises adaptations, additional equipment and assistive technology training. A maximum of €6,350 can be given towards the cost of adaptations to premises or equipment. Applications in excess of this sum are considered on an individual basis up to a maximum of €9,523 if specialist training for assistive technology is required.

The Job Interview Interpreter Grant funds an interpreter to accompany a person with hearing loss or speech impairment to a job interview and/or induction training.

The Personal Reader Grant funds a personal reader to assist someone who is blind or visually impaired in their work.

The Employee Retention Grant helps employers retain employees who acquire a disability, funds identification of accommodations, training or re-training.

I recently published a review of the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and another scheme called the Disability Awareness Support Scheme. The review made a number of recommendations including that they be amalgamated into a single flexible scheme and that the scheme is expanded to the community and voluntary sector. Work on implementation of these recommendations is underway and it is hoped to launch a reformed scheme in Q1 2024.

I hope this information is of assistance.