Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 April 2026
414. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has assessed the extent to which failures by employers to provide reasonable accommodation contribute to disabled workers leaving employment and subsequently relying on Illness Benefit, Disability Allowance or other income supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29484/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra415. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost to the Exchequer where a disabled worker exits employment and moves onto Disability Allowance, Illness Benefit or related supports following workplace discrimination or failure to provide reasonable accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29485/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra416. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has undertaken, or plans to undertake, any cost-benefit analysis of early workplace accommodation and retention of disabled workers compared with the medium- and long-term cost of social welfare dependency arising from accommodation failures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29486/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra417. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has engaged with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality on the relationship between workplace accommodation failures, disability-related job loss and subsequent reliance on social protection payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29487/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 414, 415, 416 and 417 together.
Supporting disabled people is a priority for the Government and a whole of Government responsibility. The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 reflects this. Its implementation is co-ordinated by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
The Strategy adopts a whole-of-Government approach with individual Government departments and state agencies responsible for planning and delivering the commitments that come under their remit across five key pillars.
Employment is one of these pillars, and it is jointly led by me, and the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, focused on improving access to the workplace for disabled people. Other departments also have responsibilities under this pillar. We have already made progress on many of the commitments in the Strategy and we will continue to make progress over its lifetime.
We know the benefits of early workplace accommodation and the risks of failing to provide these accommodations. This is why we reviewed the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and the Disability Awareness Support Scheme and developed Work and Access to replace them and expand on the supports available. Work and Access offers seven supports to help make workplaces more accessible to disabled people. The scheme was designed to prevent workplace accommodation failures and to help disabled people access or retain their employment. The supports comprise workplace needs assessments, in-work support, communication support, personal readers, work equipment, workplace adaptation, and disability equality and inclusion training.
Work and Access is open to employers, the self-employed and to employees. It is available for both the business and remote premises. My Department is committed to supporting employers and employees to prevent disabled workers being forced to exit employment due to a lack of reasonable accommodation.
Employers can also avail of the Wage Subsidy Scheme. It provides a subsidy of between €7.50 and €10 per hour to encourage employers to offer substantial and sustainable employment to disabled people where the tasks or role has to be adapted. Eligibility criteria have been expanded in recent years, including to employees who have degenerative conditions or who acquire a disability while in employment.
These supports are designed to support disabled people in taking up or remaining in employment.
It is very important that disabled people and employers are aware of the range of supports available. We have run promotion campaigns in recent years to inform both disabled people and employers of the schemes and supports available. We are currently developing a new information campaign in association with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.
All my Department’s illness and disability schemes have eligibility criteria. The common factor is the impact of the person's illness or disability on their ability to work. However, my Department has no information in relation to the number of disabled people who cannot remain in employment due a lack of reasonable accommodations in their workplace. As such, it is not possible to estimate the numbers of people who may receive a social welfare payment as a result.
My Department does not plan to undertake a cost-benefit analysis. The provision of reasonable accommodation is essential, particularly early accommodations. My Department does not view it as a trade-off with long-term dependency on social welfare payments. Reasonable accommodation should be supported wherever possible to allow the disabled person to participate fully in work.
I want to stress that the Government is committed to improving the employment position of disabled people and we will continue to make progress in that regard.
