Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 October 2004
146 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if it is his intention to introduce measures to encourage social welfare recipients with impairments to take up work; and if so, the details of such a proposal. [23370/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department operates a number of schemes which provide income support to persons who are unfit to work because of illness or who are substantially handicapped from doing work which would otherwise be suitable for a person of that age, experience and qualifications. These payments include, for instance, the contributory disability benefit and invalidity pension schemes and the means-tested disability allowance and blind person's pension schemes. In addition, there is a further range of benefits available under the occupational injury benefits scheme for people who have been disabled as a result of an accident at work.
There are also a number of employment and training incentives available within the social welfare system to encourage and facilitate people with disabilities to take up available employment and training options. In recent years the range of employment supports has been widened considerably and now include: the back to work allowance; exemptions from the general "no work" conditions for contributory illness and disability payments; income disregards in the case of means-tested payments; family income supplement; the job facilitator network; and exemptions from liability for employer and employee social security contributions.
As part of the Government's expenditure review initiative, a working group established by my Department completed a review of the illness and disability schemes provided by my Department and by the Department of Health and Children. The review identified a number of areas where employment support could be strengthened within the social welfare system and across Departments generally.
The review considered that there is no one single option which offers a total solution to all of these problems. Rather a combination of measures is required which should include: a recognition of the fact that some people's medical and other circumstances may mean that they have some capacity for work but may never achieve full-time work; ensuring that whatever employment support measures are adopted do not act as a disincentive for people with disabilities and long-term illnesses in maximising their employment and earnings potential; retaining a range of employment supports for different client groups and ensuring that clients are referred to the most suitable option, having regard to the nature of their illness/disability, age and social circumstances etc.; and the introduction of early intervention measures which are aimed at re-integrating people who sustain serious illnesses, injuries and disabilities back into the workforce before they become long-term dependent on social welfare payments.
The review also stresses the importance of meeting the additional costs of disability in ways that are less dependent on labour force status, if people with disabilities are to be given the opportunity of participating in the workforce. The review sets out a strategic direction for policy in relation to these schemes in the future and its recommendations will be taken on board in the context of the future development of the scheme.
