Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I recognise the additional challenges that some people with disabilities may experience, including those on the autism spectrum, in securing and maintaining employment. The Department of Social Protection, through its nationwide network of Intreo centres, provides a case managed employment service for all jobseekers with disabilities. A dedicated Employment Personal Advisor works with the jobseeker to agree a suitable personal progression plan in order to access the full range of employment supports available.

My department contracts specialist employment services, called EmployAbility, to help address the issue raised by the Deputy. The EmployAbility Service provides support to people with a disability, including those recovering from illness or serious injury, to secure and maintain paid employment in the open labour market leading to independence and career progression. Each EmployAbility service provider delivers a professional job-matching service to help ensure successful recruitment and placement, in-employment support for both the employer and the employee, and advice and information on additional employment supports and grants.

A service to provide employment supports to persons with disabilities is currently being procured, to replace the existing EmployAbility service. An RFT issued in November 2023, following extensive engagement with current EmployAbility service providers and other interested parties. All contracts will be in place by April 2024.

In July 2022 Intreo commenced an Early Engagement process which involves the Public Employment Service actively engaging with people with disabilities at the earliest opportunity, on a voluntary basis, to offer supports to assist them in achieving their employment ambitions. They are initially focusing on 18–25-year-olds, with further tranches to follow.

In August I announced a call for applications for a new programme to support the employment of people with disabilities under the new ESF+ funding. This programme, called WorkAbility: Inclusive Pathways to Employment Programme is a successor to the Ability programme and will run from January 2024 to December 2028. The WorkAbility Programme will support projects that provide progressive pathways into education, training and employment, including self-employment, for participants based on their needs, their abilities and their potential. The programme aims to support up to 13,000 disabled people progress their employment ambitions over its lifetime. I announced the 52 successful projects under this funding programme last week.

The Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) is a is a state funded work placement scheme which has a duration of 6 months at 30 hours per week. Participation on WPEP is entirely voluntary and clients on Disability Allowance can qualify to participate. All participants are paid a minimum of €323 per week and continue to receive any underlying social protection entitlements and any underlying secondary protection benefits they had an entitlement to prior to commencing WPEP.

My officials are aware of the growing need to plan for a more autism inclusive society and are currently in the process of identifying and making available interview rooms for people who identify with sensory requirements. The interview rooms will be modified similar to the room that was developed in Limerick Intreo Centre in 2019 under the guidance of AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity. The rooms will serve a general purpose with facilities such as soft lighting, neutral colour on the walls and generally a quiet space where such customers can conduct their business. A project board has been established to oversee the design and roll-out of this facility across the Intreo Network. The provision of such facilities is included in the Department’s Customer Action Plan and the DCEDIY Autism Strategy.

I remain committed to delivering initiatives that will support people with disabilities to find employment.