Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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384. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection his views on a submission regarding Pathways to Work 2026-2030 (details supplied); if he is supportive of the proposals therein; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53791/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has commenced work on a successor to the current employment services strategy, Pathways to Work Strategy 2021-2025. This new strategy will aim to carry on from the success of its predecessor which has focused on removing barriers to employment, providing tens of thousands of training and education places, enhancing the Public Employment Service, providing incentives to employers to take people off the Live Register, and delivering a special package of supports for those most disadvantaged and distant from the labour force.

A public consultation process on this new employment strategy was launched on the 10th of July and ran until the end of September. The submissions are currently being reviewed by my officials. Those submissions as well as the public meetings which are ongoing will inform the development of the new strategy. The submission to which the Deputy refers focusses issues relating to the employment of disabled people but it is not appropriate for me to comment on the specifics of individual submissions at this time.

The Government launched the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 in September. 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. One of these, Pillar 2, is focused on employment, co-chaired by my Department and the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. An action plan is currently being prepared.

Both strategies will work towards increasing the employment of disabled people and ensuring supports are in place for disabled people and their employers.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.