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For Written Answer on : 25/07/2023
Question Number(s): 694 Question Reference(s): 36086/23
Department: Social Protection
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Social Protection with reference to the reasonable accommodation fund, the disability awareness training scheme and the wage subsidy scheme, the number of employees who have benefitted from each scheme in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023; the number of employers who took part in each scheme over the same period; the amount expended on each scheme in that time, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
My Department provides a wide range of supports for jobseekers and existing employees with disabilities as well as specific financial incentives for private sector employers to encourage them to recruit and retain jobseekers with disabilities. These supports include the Reasonable Accommodation Fund, the Disability Awareness Support Scheme and the Wage Subsidy Scheme.
It is important to note that these grants and financial incentives are demand led, i.e. the overall value of the grants issued each year rises or falls in response to the number and value of the grants applied for.
The Reasonable Accommodation Fund includes four grants which were designed to assist jobseekers and existing employees with disabilities, and to encourage employers in the private sector to recruit Jobseekers with disabilities:
Employee Retention Grant is available to assist employers to retain employees who acquire a disability. The grant provides funding to identify accommodation and/or training needs to enable the employee to remain in his/her current position. Funding varies from a maximum of €2,500 or 90% of eligible programme costs to fund an occupational capacity and workplace job assessment or to a maximum of €12,500 or 90% of eligible programme costs for training and job coach support.
Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant, where a maximum of €6,350 can be given towards the cost of adaptations to premises or equipment. Applications in excess of this sum are considered on an individual basis up to a maximum of €9,523 if specialist training for assistive technology is required.
Job Interview Interpreter Grant, which provides funding for a sign language interpreter or other interpreter to attend interviews for a jobseeker who is deaf, hard of hearing or has speech impairment. The amount of the grant payable is based on an hourly fee paid which may vary. There is no limit to the number of interviews a person can attend with an interpreter.
Personal Reader Grant, whereby a person employed in the private sector who is or is becoming blind or visually impaired, and who needs assistance with job-related reading, can apply for a grant to support them to employ a personal reader. The amount payable is based on an hourly fee paid to the reader, in line with the current minimum wage, for an agreed period up to a maximum of 640 hours per year.
Table 1: Value and numbers of RAF grants 2021- 2023*
*to 12th July 2023
** number of claimants
| GRANT | VALUE 2021 | NUMBERS 2021 | VALUE 2022 | NUMBERS 2022 | VALUE 2023 | NUMBERS 2023 |
| ERG | ||||||
| WEAG | €65,118 | 29 | €69,919 | 33 | €45,022 | 17 |
| JIIG | €2,878 | 15 | €952 | 5 | €555 | 3 |
| PRG | €27,572 | 55 (6)** | €28,348 | 61 (5)** | €17,027 | 34 (5)** |
The Disability Awareness Support Scheme provides funding for private sector employers to arrange and pay for disability awareness training for staff who work with a colleague with a disability. Subject to meeting the conditions that apply, the funding available is in:
– the first year that a company applies is: 90% of eligible training costs up to a maximum of €20,000.
– the second and subsequent years: 80% of eligible training costs up to a maximum of €20,000 in any one calendar year.
Table 2: Value of DASS grants 2021- 2023*
*to 12th July 2023
| GRANT | VALUE 2021 | NUMBERS 2021 | VALUE 2022 | NUMBERS 2022 | VALUE 2023 | NUMBERS 2023 |
| DASS | 15,884 | 9 | 14,531 | 4 | 5,040 | 7 |
The Wage Subsidy Scheme is a support to encourage private sector employers to employ people with disabilities by means of a subsidy. The subsidy available is between €6.30 and €9.45 per hour depending on the number of employees supported by the scheme. The employment must be between 21 and 39 hours per week and satisfy all relevant employment legislation.
Table 3: WSS expenditure, employers and employees by year
*2023 expenditure is from 01/01/23 to 13/07/23
| Year | WSS Expenditure | WSS Employers | WSS Employees |
| 2021 | €15,900,000 | 1345 | 2327 |
| 2022 | €20,452,574 | 1538 | 2539 |
| 2023 | €11,985,868* | 1419 | 2368 |
Under the Comprehensive Employment Strategy my Department committed to undertake a review of the Reasonable Accommodation Fund grants and the Disability Awareness Support Scheme. This review is near finalisation and I expect to publish it shortly. In addition, the Wage Subsidy Scheme is currently under review my Department ran a public consultation over the past four weeks. I am delighted with the very high response to the consultation and hope to complete the review in the coming months.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
