Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The issue of employment supports for people with disabilities has been a dedicated focus of work across government for some time.

The Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) 2015-2024 is the primary disability employment policy strategy in Ireland. My Department coordinates action on this strategy and it has provided the framework for several significant successes in recent years, such as allowing for the deferral of day service placements for those who wish to seek employment opportunities or pursue further and higher education without automatically losing their services place.

Also under the CES, my Department provides funding for the Towards Work and Employers for Change initiatives. These measures provide supports and advice for job seekers with disabilities, and confidential advice and support for employers in becoming "disability confident" with the goal of reducing barriers to employment.

The Department of Social protection also provides a wide range of supports and incentives for all job seekers, including specific supports for persons with disabilities. Supports such as the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and Workplace Adaptation Grant are available to financially assist those who may need reasonable accommodations or adaptations to enter into or to retain employment. The Department of Social Protection also fund the "WorkAbility: Inclusive Pathways to Employment" programme, which supports a range of national, regional, and local organisations that have experience supporting persons with disabilities in the employment area.

Last year, government doubled the minimum percentage target for the employment of persons with disabilities in the public sector from 3% to 6%, on a phased basis up to 2025. The public sector must show leadership on this issue. This measure entered into law in April last year with the commencement of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act. Both myself and Minister Rabbitte are working with colleagues across government to ensure that every effort is made to meet the new targets, along with the National Disability Authority who report on the public sector's performance in this area every year .

Finally, my Department is in the process of designing the successor strategy to the National Disability Inclusion Strategy and employment has been a key area of focus. This has given us the opportunity to engage with persons with disabilities and their representative organisations, along with colleagues at a whole of government level, on the key barriers and challenges facing persons with disabilities in gaining and maintaining employment. The strategy will address the barriers and challenges disabled people face when seeking work, building on work previously done in this area so that persons with disabilities are able to work and pursue fulfilling careers on an equal basis with others.