Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 July 2022
128. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will extend the Reasonable Accommodation Fund to self-employed persons with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34585/22]
View answerIn addition to providing income supports, my Department also provides a wide range of employment-related supports for both Jobseekers with disabilities and persons with disabilities in employment.
Advice on the full range of supports and services available can be obtained through the department's nationwide network of Intreo centres and on Gov.ie.
The Reasonable Accommodation Fund is comprised of four grants, which are available through Intreo centres. The primary grant under the scheme, the Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant, is available were a person is self-employed, while the other grants are designed for jobseekers (Job Interview Interpreter Grant), employees (the personal reader grant) and employers (the employee retention grant).
Where a person with a disability has been offered employment, is in employment or is self-employed and requires a more accessible workplace or adapted equipment to do the job, s/he or the employer may be able to get a grant towards the costs of adapting premises or equipment. A maximum grant of €6,350 is available towards the cost of adaptations to premises or equipment. Applications in excess of this sum are considered on an individual basis up to a maximum of €9,523 if specialist training for assistive technology is required.
It is important to note, that my Department is committed to improving its employment supports where people are facing additional challenges accessing or retaining employment.
In this context, the Department is currently reviewing the Reasonable Accommodation Fund grants. The review is to see how to improve the effectiveness of the grants and to identify gaps in provision. It also aims to improve the application and payment processes. As part of this review, a public consultation process was undertaken from the end of March to mid-May this year. The Department is now analysing the responses received and in particular on the views of disabled people and employers, with a report to be completed in Q3.
