Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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149. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection his plans to expand and build on successful programmes like WorkAbility and Employability to support people with disabilities into employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33127/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Government recognises the additional difficulties people with disabilities experience in securing and maintaining employment in the open labour market. This is a key issue in the development of the cross-government National Disability Strategy.

In December 2023, the Department established the WorkAbility programme - it is co-financed with the EU Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training Programme. It is a five-year programme running from 2024 until 2028.

The aim of the WorkAbility programme is to bring people with disabilities who are not work-ready closer to the labour market through 57 local, regional and national projects. It supports projects that provide progressive pathways into education, training, employment and work experience for participants based on their needs, their abilities and their potential.

In 2024, just over 1,400 people with a disability engaged with these projects. The programme aims to support over 13,000 disabled people progress their training and employment ambitions over its lifetime.

Employability is a service where, through a referral from Intreo, jobseekers with disabilities can work with a Job Coach who provides pre-employment and in-employment support and assistance. The service operates on the basis of voluntary engagement. It also acts as a recruitment advice service for the business community and provides employers with access to a pool of potential employees.

My Department offers a range of other employment supports to people with disabilities such as the recently reformed Wage Subsidy Scheme which supports employers to hire people with disabilities through a subsidy. This scheme is now open to all employers outside the public sector. The minimum hours on the scheme were reduced from 21 to 15.

In July 2024, a new scheme called Work and Access was launched. This scheme offers seven supports to help reduce or remove barriers in the workplace for people with a disability to allow them to get a job or stay in work. Funding is available for supports including communication supports, work equipment, workplace adaptations and training.

The Programme for Government commits to expanding and building on successful schemes like WorkAbility and Employability to support people with disabilities into employment. We will advance that commitment over the lifetime of the Government and in light of available resources.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.