Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
367. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date to create a single scheme that combines the current reasonable accommodation fund grants and the disability awareness support scheme into one scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52146/23]
View answer368. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date to review the application processes for reasonable accommodation fund grants and the disability awareness support scheme with a view to making it less complex, user-friendly and to ensure that it is aligned with a needs-based approach; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52147/23]
View answer369. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date to provide approval in principle for employers and jobseekers applying for reasonable accommodation fund grants and the disability awareness support scheme to assist their planning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52148/23]
View answer370. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date to extend the supports provided by reasonable accommodation fund grants and the disability awareness support scheme to other employers in the community and voluntary sector and commercial State-sponsored sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52149/23]
View answer371. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date to extend the employee retention grant so that it also available to new recruits and employees with pre-existing disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52150/23]
View answer372. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date to enhance the disability awareness support scheme to offer wider training that also includes employers who currently do not have a disabled employee on staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52151/23]
View answer373. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date to increase the number of support hours (interpreter, in-work support, and so on) eligible for funding under reasonable accommodation fund grants and the disability awareness support scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52152/23]
View answer374. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date to ensure there are changes to reasonable accommodation fund grants and the disability awareness support scheme to allow for equipment, software, and assistive technologies to be made available where the need arises, including blended working arrangements and full-time working from home arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52153/23]
View answer375. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made to date to develop a communication plan to ensure targeted and accessible promotion of any reforms to reasonable accommodation fund grants and the disability awareness support scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52154/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 367 to 375, inclusive, together.
My Department provides a wide range of income and employment supports to assist jobseekers and employees with disabilities, and their employers. These supports include the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and the Disability Awareness Support Scheme.
The Reasonable Accommodation Fund provides financial support for people with disabilities and for employers to help make their workplaces more accessible. The Disability Awareness Support Scheme provides funding for disability awareness training for employees.
I published a review of these schemes at the end of August. The review recommends combining the two schemes into a single flexible scheme, simplifying systems and processes, providing approval in principle, and promoting the reformed scheme.
It also recommends increasing funding, extending workplace needs assessments, and job coaching to new recruits and all existing employees, increasing the number of support hours eligible for funding, providing support for blended working, and opening the scheme to other employers, for example the voluntary and community sector.
My Department is currently working to operationalise these recommendations and I expect to launch a reformed scheme that will give effect to all nine recommendations in Q1 2024.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
