Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2023
535. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the manner in which he proposes to address issues of the need for suitable jobs for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32710/23]
View answerAs Minister of State with Responsibility for Disability, I am committed to removing the barriers faced by people with disabilities in accessing employment. My Department plays a significant coordination role in this regard through the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities (CES).
The CES is the primary disability employment policy initiative in Ireland. It is a cross-government approach, bringing together actions by Government Departments and Agencies to address the barriers and challenges to employment of persons with disabilities. The CES’s strategic priorities are to build skills, capacity and independence, to provide bridges and supports into work, to make work pay, to promote job retention and re-entry to work, to provide coordinated and seamless supports and to engage employers.
Through the CES, my Department has progressed a range of actions to improve access to employment for people with disabilities. For example, the Disability Act 2005, as amended by the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022 and commenced on April 26 of this year, has doubled the previous target for the employment of people with disabilities in the public service from 3% to 6% by 2025. Compliance with this target is monitored and reported on by the National Disability Authority annually in a report submitted to Government. I will be engaging with my colleagues across government to ensure that their departments and aegis bodies are aware of the new target and working to meet the new obligations.
My Department also provides funding to the Towards Work and Employers for Change services, which provide advice and support to jobseekers with disabilities and to employers in becoming disability confident. The Department of Social Protection also offers a variety of supports to assist people seeking employment, including targeted supports for persons with disabilities, and financial contributions for reasonable accommodations and workplace adaptations and equipment.
Under the CES framework, my Department plays a coordination role in ensuring that disability measures are coherent and integrated, with specific actions continuing to be the responsibility of the relevant Departments and agencies. This is keeping with Ireland’s long-standing ‘mainstream-first’ approach to disability policy.
My officials will continue to work and engage with other departments, through the CES and as part of the development of Ireland's new national disability strategy to explore how the State can continue to support, and better support, people with disabilities who seek to enter into the workforce.
