My colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation has overall responsibility for recruitment policies in the public sector. In 2024, the public service target for the employment of disabled people was increased from 3% to 4.5% and in that year the number of employees reporting a disability increased to 5.4%. According to the National Disability Authority, this is the first time this percentage has exceeded 5%. The target was increased to 6% from January 2025 but figures for 2025 are not yet available.
Based on Census 2022, Ireland’s employment rate for disabled people was 49%, while for non-disabled people it was 71%, resulting in a disability employment gap of 22 percentage points. Pillar 2 of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2026 to 2030 is focussed on employment. It includes a range of commitments which are intended to assist disabled people to remain in, or take up employment and therefore reduce the disability employment gap.
The Work and Access Scheme replaced both the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and the Disability Awareness Support Scheme. It provides funding for seven supports - workplace needs assessments, communication supports, in-work support, personal reader, work equipment, workplace adaptation and disability equality and inclusion training.
The table below shows the number of grants paid under the Work and Access scheme for the years requested. A breakdown by county is not available.
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-
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2024
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2025
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2026 (to end Feb)
|
|
No. grants paid
|
110*
|
256
|
88
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*Work and Access launched in July 2024. 86 grants in 2024 were under the previous Reasonable Accommodation Fund.
The Wage Subsidy Scheme is a key disability employment support provided by my Department. It aims to encourage employers to offer substantial and sustainable employment to disabled people through a subsidy.
The table below shows the number of employees on the Wage Subsidy Scheme by county for the years requested.
Employees on Wage Subsidy Scheme by county
