Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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371. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection how many people benefit from the wage subsidy scheme, by county and by month for 2022, 2023 and for January 2024. [7616/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) is an employment support to private sector employers, the objective of which is to encourage employers to employ people with disabilities and thereby increase the numbers of people with disabilities participating in the open labour market.

The number of people benefitting from the Wage Subsidy Scheme who commenced in each month in years 2022, 2023 and January 2024 by county is provided in tabular form.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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372. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection how many people under the wage subsidy scheme have lost that payment following the acquiring of hotels and other accommodation settings for Ukrainian refugees and international protection applicants, by month and by county for 2022, 2023 and for January 2024. [7617/24]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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373. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection how many people under the wage subsidy scheme have lost that payment following the acquiring of hotels and other accommodation settings for Ukrainian refugees and international protection applicants, by month and by county for 2022, 2023 and for January 2024. [7618/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 372 and 373 together.

The Wage Subsidy Scheme is an employment support to private sector employers, the objective of which is to encourage employment of people with disabilities in the open labour market.

The subsidy is paid to the employer and not the employee. To claim a subsidy under the scheme, the private sector employer must offer employment to a person with a disability for at least 21 hours per week and up to 39 hours per week.

There are currently 1,504 employers availing of the subsidy in respect of some 2,437 participant employees. Estimated expenditure on the Wage Subsidy Scheme in 2024 is €25 million.

It is not possible to disaggregate the data in the way posed by the Deputy’s question.

For the purposes of the administration of the scheme employer data is not required to be recorded in this manner. Employers are recorded under one of nine Workplace Industry Types. Hotels and other accommodation settings are included under Workplace Industry Type - Accommodation and Food Service Activities. However it should be noted that this category also includes food service activities, such as restaurants and cafes. At the of January 2024 there were a total of 203 Employers under Accommodation and Food Service Activities, as compared to 205 Employers in 2023 and 206 in 2022.

I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.