Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2021
894. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent on the wage subsidy scheme for persons with disabilities in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; the amount spent on the grants for employers to retain employees with disabilities in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31434/21]
View answerMy Department provides a range of supports and grants to assist persons with disabilities to gain employment and to give financial support to employers. These schemes are outlined below.
The Wage Subsidy Scheme provides financial incentives to private sector employers to employ people with a disability. The work offered must be for a minimum of 21 hours per week and the subsidy is available up to 39 hours per week.
The Reasonable Accommodation Fund aims to assist both jobseekers with disabilities and private sector employers seeking to employ or retain a person with a disability, by providing a range of grants.
In summary, the grants available are:
- Workplace Equipment /Adaptation Grant, which provides funding to make the workplace more accessible.
- Job Interview – Interpreter Grant, which is a grant for an interpreter to accompany, for example, a person with hearing loss to a job interview.
- Personal Reader Grant, which provides funding for a personal reader to assist someone who is blind or visually impaired in their work.
- Employee Retention Grant Scheme, which aims to help employers retain employees who acquire a disability.
In addition to the Reasonable Accommodation Fund grants, the Disability Awareness Support Scheme (DASS) provides funding so that private sector employers can provide Disability Awareness Training for their employees. The purpose of the training is to deliver clear and accurate information about disability and to address questions that employers and employees may have.
Expenditure on the Wage Subsidy Scheme for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021 (Estimated figure for the period January - May 2021) is in the table below:
Expenditure on Wage Subsidy Scheme
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 (Estimated Jan - May) |
|
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
|
23,810 |
18,355 |
6,146 |
Expenditure on Disability Support to employers for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021 (Estimated figure for the period January - May 2021) is in the table below:
Expenditure on Disability Supports
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 (Estimated Jan - May) |
|
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
|
100 |
107 |
33 |
