Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021
43. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 125 of 17 December 2020, if Enterprise Ireland’s draft disability inclusion strategy, supporting entrepreneurship, has been approved by the Enterprise Ireland senior management team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53184/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2021, Enterprise Ireland established a Diversity & Inclusion Steering Group to oversee the development of the agency’s Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) vision and strategy. To date this group has completed the first stage (Insight Gathering & Scoping) and is at an advanced stage of developing a D&I Vision and Strategy/Charter to align with EI's forthcoming new corporate strategy.
A critical component of this strategy is specific to supporting entrepreneurship & self-employment for people with a disability. The continued aim is to complete the development of the strategy by year end 2021.
In addition, as part of Enterprise Ireland’s wider strategy development 2022-24, a specific ‘Balance & Inclusive Enterprise Development’ working group was established. The group presented recommended strategic options to EI’s Senior Leadership team in Q3 2021, and D&I will be a specific pillar that will be presented to EI’s Board in Q4 2021, outlining strategic options for the delivery of EI’s 2030 ambition on ‘Balanced and Inclusive Enterprise Development’, and as part of the Enterprise Ireland’s new strategy (2022-2024).
Throughout 2021, a number of virtual events (Virtual Ability Series) for EI clients and enterprises, including: Recruit for Ability; Inclusive Recruitment podcast; and DesignAbility - Innovation through Inclusion webinar. Content is hosted on eiLearn portal and is available to all enterprises nationally (e.g. https://eilearn.ie/designability/).
Enterprise Ireland is also reassessing opportunities for greater employer engagement across their range of enterprise leadership and capability programmes, including Leadership 4 Growth, Attracting and Retaining Talent and Spotlight on Skills. The latter two programmes specifically explore employers’ current and future skills needs, and help develop talent attraction strategies, including diversity. Enterprise Ireland has a close working relationship with the Regional Skills Fora, in particular in the implementation of programmes such as Spot Light on Skills programme. This review will be completed by year end 2021.
