Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 April 2026
474. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has examined the case for placing statutory timeframes on employers for responding to requests for reasonable accommodation in the workplace; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29382/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra475. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the status of the legislation arising from the review of the Equality Acts; the reforms under consideration in relation to reasonable accommodation, redress and enforcement; the expected publication timeline for the Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29383/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra476. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has examined the adequacy of current penalties and enforcement mechanisms under the Employment Equality Acts in cases involving failure to provide reasonable accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29384/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra503. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timeline for the completion of the review and reform of the Equality Acts insofar as it relates to disability rights in employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29478/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra504. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has engaged with employers, trade unions, disabled persons organisations or advocacy bodies regarding the need for stronger statutory protections in employment for disabled workers seeking reasonable accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29479/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra505. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has assessed the compatibility of current Irish employment equality law and practice with Article 27 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, particularly in relation to reasonable accommodation, timely responses and protection against discrimination in employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29480/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra506. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has examined the case for requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodation passports or equivalent portable accommodation records for disabled employees across role changes, management changes and internal transfers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29481/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra508. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has collected or requested any data on the average time taken by employers to respond to requests for reasonable accommodation from disabled employees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29483/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 474, 475, 476, 503, 504, 505, 506 and 508 together.
In November 2024, Government approved the publication of the General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024, which includes a number of legislative provisions arising from a review of Ireland’s equality legislation. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Equality undertook pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme and issued its report in October 2025. Officials in this Department are considering the recommendations of the report.
As part of the review, the Department invited written submissions to a public consultation. A report summarising the key issues raised was published in July 2023 and is available at assets.gov.ie/static/documents/equality-acts-review_-summary-of-submissions.pdf. As noted in this report, 84 submissions to the consultation related to the disability ground. Section 6.2 of the report summarises the responses received in relation to reasonable accommodation.
The General Scheme was informed by the submissions received in the review process, by additional stakeholder consultations on some of the complex issues arising, as well as by Private Members’ Bills, academic research, and requirements under EU Equality Directives and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The fundamental aim of the General Scheme of the Bill is to strengthen equality protections, and the proposals include changes to the definition of reasonable accommodation, and increases to both the to time limits for complaints and redress that can be awarded. The Joint Oireachtas Committee made recommendations related to reasonable accommodation, and these are being considered.
The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, launched on 3 September 2025, sets out a whole of government approach to advancing implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
The Strategy will advance delivery on actions across five key thematic pillars that collectively capture the full range of issues impacting on the lives of disabled people:
• Inclusive Learning and Education
• Employment
• Independent Living and Active Participation in Society
• Wellbeing and Health
• Transport and Mobility
Pillar Two- Employment, contains an overarching commitment that disabled people will have increased employment opportunities and better access to meaningful employment by 2030. There are three key commitments within the overall pillar: employment in the Civil and Public Sector, Private Sector and an overall commitment to support disabled people to work.
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and Department of Social Protection are co-leading on the delivery of Pillar Three in collaboration with other government departments and public bodies.
The Department of Children, Disability and Equality does not collect data related to reasonable accommodation requests. Complaints under the Equality Acts are brought to the Workplace Relations Commission which publishes summaries of cases and collects and publishes statistical data.
I was pleased to publish Ireland's first National Equality Data Strategy earlier this year, which provides a framework to support the collection and use of equality data across Government. It sets out a plan to develop standardisation, guidance, and capacity-building to support this process over the period of 2026-2031. This is an important step in ensuring that we have the data we need to support the design and delivery of inclusive policies and services into the future.
