5. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection his Department’s initiatives to assist persons with disabilities in accessing and sustaining employment, including any specific supports or schemes currently in place, plans for future measures to promote workforce participation, and the timeframe for implementation of these initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2946/26]

Sentiment score: 0.21

What initiatives and plans are in place to support people with disabilities to access and sustain employment? I wish to highlight what works in practice and what is at risk if we do not protect those pathways. This is a social protection issue. In my constituency, Scoil Eoin, a school for children with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, has a post-leaving certificate employment rate of 95%. This compares to the national average employment rate of young adults with intellectual disabilities of 30%. What is happening in Scoil Eoin works. Unfortunately, the school's designation is under threat. This means it will not be allowed to focus on children with mild to moderate learning disabilities. I am concerned this change in designation will impact the Department of Social Protection’s pipeline, the people attending its services, the future viability of employment services and the success of disability services.

Sentiment score: 0.17

While I understand this is an education issue, when dealing with employment for people with disabilities we have to take a whole-of-government approach. I thank the Minister for his detailed and constructive reply and acknowledge the significant work led by his Department. The range of supports he outlined and the work and access, wage subsidy and WorkAbility schemes demonstrate his continued commitment to supporting people with disabilities in employment. I welcome in particular the measures he announced in budget 2026, especially the practical supports which allow people to take up work while retaining key secondary benefits. This kind of flexibility is what helps people sustain employment. I will pivot back to Scoil Eoin because while it is in the education area, it relates to the pipeline of the Department of Social Protection. When these people stay in employment there is less reliance on the Department. A whole-of-government approach is, therefore, needed. I ask that the Minister ask the Minister for education not to redesignate Scoil Eoin as a special school and to keep it as a school for mild to moderate disabilities. Parents and children like choice and this school works as regards people with intellectual disabilities staying in employment.

Sentiment score: 0.38

I commend the Minister on his leadership on this. I also commend the Oireachtas work and learning programme, OWL, developed in partnership with WALK, an organisation based in Walkinstown in my constituency, which does outstanding work supporting people with intellectual disabilities to access meaningful employment. The programme shows how supported employment works in practice when organisations lead by example. As the Minister said, we already see many large employers, including in the retail sector, and small and medium-sized businesses quietly providing inclusive and supportive workplaces. There is real merit, as the Minister said, in acknowledging these employers, large and small, which support people with disabilities and also the benefit they get themselves when they hire people with disabilities. I thank the Minister for his response. I would be grateful if he could raise the issue of Scoil Eoin in Crumlin with the Minister, Deputy Naughton.

Sentiment score: 0.52