Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 April 2024
46. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an expected launch date of the reformed reasonable accommodation fund, following the recommendations from the review of the fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18406/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy 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.Last autumn, I published a review of these schemes. 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.
I have allocated an additional €1 million to implement all nine recommendations in the review.
My officials continues to work to make these recommendations operational. I expect to launch the reformed scheme in the coming weeks.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
