Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2026
40. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection whether he will expand and promote access to the wage subsidy scheme, including consideration of its availability to Oireachtas members as employers, in order to support the recruitment and retention of people with disabilities in workplaces and public service roles, and keep them close to policy makers. [15483/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Wage Subsidy Scheme is a key disability employment support. It aims to encourage employers to offer substantial and sustainable employment to disabled people through a subsidy. In January 2026, there were 2,613 employees supported through the Wage Subsidy Scheme and 1,546 employers availing of the scheme. Expenditure on the scheme in 2025 is estimated at €22.1 million.
Initially the scheme was available to employers in the private sector only. However, as a result of a review of the scheme which my department published in 2024, last year we extended the scheme to employers in the community, voluntary and non-commercial semi-state sections. Other changes as a result of the review, included a reduction in the minimum hours requirement from 21 to 15 hours per week. Following the launch of the revamped scheme last summer we ran a public information campaign for six weeks.
In Budget 2026, I provided for a further expansion of the scheme to include people who acquire a disability while in employment and to those who transfer from Invalidity Pension to Partial Capacity Benefit. I also provided for the subsidy rates to increase from April.
The Oireachtas Work Learning programme is available for disabled people wishing to work in public service roles. This is a learning, development and socialisation programme for young adults with an intellectual disability. It is run in the Houses of the Oireachtas with partners KARE, WALK and City of Dublin Education and Training Board. Since it began in 2018, 37 young people have graduated from the programme.
My Department funds AHEAD to deliver the Willing Able Mentoring Programme. This programme has a well-established partnership with the Civil Service and a growing collaboration with Local Authorities offering placements across the country. In the past two years, 46 graduates secured placements with Civil Service departments. As a result of the route to permanency under the scheme, 33 of those participants have secured permanent Executive Officer roles. AHEAD works in collaboration with Publicjobs and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to deliver the Civil Service element of the programme.
The provision of supports for disabled people in the public sector workplace is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and individual public sector organisations. My Department is available to engage with colleagues around the issue of disability supports in the workplace.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
