Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
2425. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to combat the issue of poverty among disabled adults (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32728/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) results for 2016 indicates that the consistent poverty rate, for people in households headed by a person who was unable to work due to illness or a disability, was 26.3% in 2016. This compared to 22.4% the year before. However, this figure (like other statistics for very small groups in the survey) has been volatile in recent years. This is most likely due to the smaller sample sizes for people in households headed by a person who was unable to work due to illness or a disability within the SILC participants. It is not possible to say with certainty whether the change over the year is statistically significant and indicative of a sustained trend. It is worth noting, moreover, that the level of deprivation reported for this group of households in 2016 was 46.7%, down from 53.2% in 2015.
The Government’s most recent strategy for addressing poverty and social exclusion was set out in the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2017. The Plan identified a wide range of targeted actions and interventions to achieve the overall objective of reducing consistent poverty. The Department is currently in the process of developing an updated plan for the period 2018-2021.
The Government is committed to increasing the employment opportunities for people with a disability. The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities adopts a cross-government approach that brings together various measures, to be taken by different Departments and State agencies, in a concerted effort to address the barriers and challenges that impact on the employment of people with disabilities. The six strategic priorities are to: build skills, capacity and independence; provide bridges and supports into work; make work pay; promote job retention and re-entry into work; provide co-ordinated and seamless support; and engage employers. These priorities are incorporated into the Pathways to Work Strategy and this ensures that there is an integrated focus on supports that enable people with disabilities to participate in employment where they have the capacity to do so.
My Department provides a range of specific income, activation and employment supports for people with a disability. For instance, the partial capacity benefit scheme enables recipients of invalidity pension and illness benefit to take-up employment, on a voluntary basis, while continuing to receive income support. The Department manages a supported employment service (EmployAbility) which provides a dedicated job-coaching service for people with disabilities. Intreo services are also available to provide employment support services for people with disabilities who wish to engage with the service on a voluntary basis. There is also a focus on supports available to employers who employ people with disabilities such as the Wage Subsidy Scheme and the Workplace Adaption Grant Scheme.
