Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1849. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for an update on the work and access scheme; the numbers using it; his plans to increase this number and improve the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43515/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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In August 2023, my Department published a review of the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and Disability Awareness Support Scheme. The report gave nine recommendations to merge the two schemes into a single, flexible scheme and to expand and improve the supports offered under the new scheme.

In July 2024, the new Work and Access scheme was launched. Work and Access offers seven supports to help reduce or remove barriers in the workplace for people with a disability.

The supports include funding for a workplace needs assessment, work coaches, personal readers, assistive equipment and communication supports. Funding is also available to employers for workplace adaptations and disability equality and inclusion training.

Work and Access is open to all non-public sector employers, including the self-employed and people working in the community and voluntary sector. Supports are available for both business premises and remote workplaces. My Department allocated an additional €1 million a year to this scheme.

A media campaign ran last year to raise awareness surrounding the new scheme and my officials have been promoting the scheme around the country.

As of June 2025, over 100 individual payments have been made totalling €163,016 for the year to date.

The Programme for Government commits to expand and build on successful programmes like the Work and Access Programme to support people with disabilities into employment.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1850. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for an update on the wage subsidy scheme; the numbers using it; his plans to increase this number and improve the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43516/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Wage Subsidy Scheme is a key disability employment support. It aims to encourage employers to offer substantial and sustainable employment to people with disabilities through a subsidy.

As of June 2025, there are 2,508 employees supported through the scheme and 1,524 employers availing of the scheme.

Last year, my Department published a review of the Wage Subsidy Scheme following a public consultation. The review made six recommendations, including to reduce the minimum required hours of the scheme, to regularly review the subsidy rate, and to remove terms such as ‘productivity deficit’ from the scheme to better align the scheme with the social model of disability.

An additional €3.7 million was allocated to implement the review’s recommendations.

The scheme now includes employers in the community and voluntary sector and commercial state-sponsored sector. This change will expand the pool of potential jobs and opportunities for people with disabilities. The scheme has also been expanded to employers who employ somebody returning to work in receipt of Partial Capacity Benefit. This change will allow employees to keep their job if they acquire a disability.

In April 2024, the minimum hours for the scheme were reduced from 21 to 15 hours. This will help make sure employees are offered substantial work while also making the scheme more accessible. The final recommendation was to promote and increase awareness of the scheme in order to encourage a greater uptake among employers. Last month, I formally launched the reformed scheme together with the Taoiseach, Minister Foley and Minister of State Naughton. We also ran a media campaign to raise awareness of this very beneficial scheme for employers and employees.

I hope that the implementation of the recommendations of the review will result in an expansion of the scheme to new employers and new sectors and that there will be an increase in the number of employees on the scheme.

Notwithstanding these improvements, the Government recognises that more must be done to support disabled people into employment. The Programme for Government commits to improving the Wage Subsidy Scheme further through reviewing the minimum hours requirement and examining an increase in the payment rate.

We will advance those commitments over the lifetime of the Government and in light of available resources.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1851. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if there are plans for his Department and Intreo staff to engage with employers and those with disabilities to facilitate a larger cohort of those with disabilities into employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43517/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is committed to working to remove barriers to employment for people with disabilities.

Intreo Employment Service (ES) provide a wide range of supports to assist jobseekers, including those with a disability, to find work. Intreo ES also provides recruitment advice and support for employers including information on recruitment and retention incentives.

Intreo ES offer a targeted but voluntary employment service for people in receipt of a Disability payment called ‘Early Engagement’. This is an individualised employment service which includes advice on job seeking, access to further education, training supports and referrals to employment support schemes. Intreo ES have recently extended the provision of this service by ensuring that there is a Designated Disability Employment Personal Advisor (DDEPA) in each of the 62 Intreo Offices nationwide.

The EmployAbility Service is a nationally provided employment service dedicated to improving employment outcomes for job seekers with a disability. There are currently 23 service providers nationwide. Intreo ES officers refer clients who are job ready to this specialist provider where they work with a Job Coach who provides pre-employment and in-employment support.

My Department’s Employer Relations team also provides a range of supports to employers in hiring people with disabilities. Locally based Employer Relations Officers engage with employers to identify potential candidates for paid positions and traineeships. Recruitment events are regularly arranged at which potential employees can meet with employers to discuss opportunities. The Department also encourages employers to sign up to the Employment and Youth Engagement Charter, under which employers commit to working with people with disabilities and other priority groups to build their knowledge, skills and experience to enhance their employability. To date, 263 employers have signed up to the Charter commitments.

In July 2024, my Department launched a new scheme called Work and Access. This scheme offers seven supports to improve access in the workplace for people with a disability. Funding is available for communication supports, work equipment, workplace adaptations and training. Jobseekers, employees, self-employed people and employers may apply for supports both for the business premises and remote workplaces. In June 2025, I formally launched a reformed wage subsidy scheme together with the Taoiseach, Minister Foley and Minister of State Naughton. This scheme provides financial incentives for employers to employ a person with a disability.

People with disabilities can also avail of employment support schemes like Work Placement Experience Programme, Community Employment Scheme, Tús, Jobsplus, Back to Education Allowance and Back to Work Enterprise Allowance.

Notwithstanding these improvements, the Government recognises that more must be done to support disabled people into employment. The Programme for Government commits to a review of the minimum hours requirement and examination of the payment rate for the Wage Subsidy Scheme and an expansion of successful programmes like WorkAbility, EmployAbility and Work and Access. We will advance those commitments over the lifetime of the Government and in light of available resources.