Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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304. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the means by which, under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People, the cost of disability, and an increase in the employment rate among people with disabilities, will be achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50847/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government includes a range of commitments in relation to supports for disabled people. This includes a commitment to introducing a permanent Annual Cost of Disability Support Payment with a view to incrementally increasing this payment. However, we know that addressing the cost of disability is not a question of income support alone. The delivery of and access to services are also key. We need all of the Departments and agencies of Government to work together to address the issue in a comprehensive way.

That is why the Taoiseach set up a Cabinet Committee on Disability and a dedicated programme office within his own Department. In addition, the recently published National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 takes a whole-of-Government approach. The publication of this strategy sets out specific actions to be led by named Departments, including, for my own Department, the responsibility to lead a Strategic Focus Network on the cost of disability. The work of this network, which will include people with disabilities and their advocates, will inform the approach to be taken in delivering on the Programme for Government commitment. I have asked my officials to expedite this work with a view to bringing a proposal to Government in the first half of next year.

As the Deputy will be aware the last number of Budgets, included some specific measures to assist disabled people with the rising cost of living. As part of Budget 2025, for example, a €400 Disability Support Grant for people in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and Blind Pension, was paid in November 2024., together with a €12 increase in the maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments from January 2025.

In addition, we have taken a range of measures to help people with disabilities secure and maintain employment including changes to the Wage Subsidy Scheme, the implementation of an early engagement outreach process within the Department to link people with disabilities with dedicated employment advisors, and the introduction of a new range of Work and Access supports.

The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People sets out a range of commitments across five key pillars. My Department, alongside the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment will lead the employment pillar, focused on improving access to the workplace for disabled people.

The Strategy will be supplemented by Programme Plans of Action every two years. These Programme Plans will set out how the key priority actions under each commitment will be delivered on, by whom, the timeframe for delivery, and relevant Key Performance Indicators. Reporting/updating on Programme Plans will be carried out every 6 months. The First Programme Plan of Actions 2025-2026 is currently being developed.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Edward Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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305. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the measures being taken to increase the participation rate of people with disability in the labour market. [50803/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government includes a range of commitments in relation to supports for disabled people. In addition, earlier this month, the Government published the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. This is Ireland’s plan to advance the realisation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The publication of this strategy is a key Programme for Government commitment. It seeks to ensure full participation of disabled people in Irish society.

The strategy adopts a whole-of-Government approach with individual Government Departments and State Agencies responsible for planning and delivering the commitments that come under their remit across five key pillars.

My Department alongside the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment will jointly lead on the employment pillar. My Department has clear commitments to build and expand on our successful employment programmes, to make these better known, and to remove some of the uncertainty around supports when a person returns to work. The Strategy will be supplemented by Programme Plans of Action every two years. The First Programme Plan of Actions 2025-2026 is currently being developed.

Commitments in the Programme for Government and in the Strategy build on the progress made in recent years to enhance our employment supports and improve access to employment for disabled people. We have taken a range of measures to help people with disabilities secure and maintain employment including changes to the Wage Subsidy Scheme, the implementation of an early engagement outreach process within the Department to link people with disabilities with dedicated employment advisors, and the introduction of a new range of Work and Access supports.

In December 2023, my Department established the WorkAbility programme. It is co-financed with the EU Employment, Inclusion, Skills, and Training programme. It aims to support disabled people into employment through 57 local, regional, and national projects.

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

I trust this clarifies the position of the Deputy.