Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 November 2021
461. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if the wage subsidy scheme for persons with disabilities will be extended to national schools to allow a participant to work as a special needs assistant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54068/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe objective of the Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) is to encourage private sector employers to employ people with disabilities and thereby increase the numbers of people with disabilities obtaining and sustaining employment in the open labour market.
The scheme provides financial incentives to private sector employers to hire new staff with a disability for between 21 and 39 subsidised hours per week under a contract of employment. The contract of employment offered must be for a minimum of 6 months and the employee should be subject to and have the same rights as per the conditions of employment as any of the other employees. Included in these conditions is the requirement that the employee must be paid the going rate for the job which must be at least the statutory minimum wage. The basic rate of subsidy is currently €5.30 per hour (increasing to €6.30 from January 2022) giving a total annual subsidy available of €10,748 per annum based on a 39-hour week. The subsidy is paid directly to the employer.
The WSS is not available to Public Service Employers or any employers or schemes where salaries are funded by the State. I have no plans to extend the scheme to national schools or any other such bodies where significant State funding is already in place.
The Government has committed to increasing the target of people with disabilities employed in the public sector to 6% by 2024, and public sector employers are expected to show leadership in recruitment in this area, without the need for subsidies.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
