Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159) - Ireland (Ratification: 1986)

The Committee notes the observations of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), transmitted by the Government. It notes that a response was not provided. The Committee therefore requests the Government to provide its comments in this regard.

Articles 2, 3 and 5 of the Convention. Implementation of a national policy on vocational rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. Consultation with the social partners. The Committee welcomes the detailed information provided by the Government in reply to its previous comments concerning the measures adopted to promote employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. It notes the Government’s indication that these measures operate through a cross-government framework involving various departments, agencies and disability sector representatives, aligned with key national strategies and action plans. The two main national strategies are the National Disability Inclusion Strategy and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities (CES), the latter covering the 2015–24 period. The CES aims to address the barriers to employment for persons with disabilities, by focusing on building skills, providing bridges and supports into work, making work pay, promoting job retention and re-entry, and ensuring coordinated support while engaging employers. Implementation of the CES follows action plans monitored by an Implementation Group with representatives that include government departments and agencies, the Disability Stakeholder Group, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and other disability organizations. The Strategy seeks to increase employment among persons with disabilities by 15 per cent, from 33 per cent in 2011 to 38 per cent by 2024. In 2022, Ireland's Public Employment Service, ‘Intreo’, introduced an Early Engagement Approach for young recipients of a disability allowance to promote awareness of employment services. This voluntary approach offers appointments with Employment Personal Advisors to those interested. Regarding the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and findings from the interdepartmental expert group, the Government indicates that the Fund and the Disability Awareness Support Scheme provide support for employment in the open labour market. The Reasonable Accommodation Fund offers grants to enhance workplace accessibility, while the Disability Awareness Support Scheme provides workplace training. Following a comprehensive review of the scheme, an additional €1 million in Budget 2023 was allocated to improve the scheme in line with the review’s recommendations. The Government indicates that consultations with employers, workers and representative organizations of and for persons with disabilities have taken place under the CES implementation framework. The Committee notes the observations of the ICTU highlighting that, despite all of the measures taken, persons with disabilities are still significantly less likely to be employed than those without disabilities. It adds in this regard that Ireland's employment rate for persons with disabilities (ranging from 33 to 36 per cent) is much lower than the European Union average (over 50 per cent). The ICTU emphasizes that almost two-thirds of those receiving disability payments in Ireland say they are able to work. Furthermore, the ICTU points out that the CES’ Implementation Group has not met regularly. Noting the observations of the ICTU, the Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on the impact of the measures to promote the employment of persons with disabilities in the open labour market, including information on their employment rate. It also requests that the Government provide an assessment of the results of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities for 2015-24, as well as information on any newly adopted national strategy. Additionally, the Committee requests the Government to provide more specific information on the content and outcome of the consultations held with employers’ and workers’ organizations and representative organizations of and for persons with disabilities on the matters covered by the Convention.

Article 4. Equality of opportunities and treatment. The Committee previously requested that the Government provide further information on the impact of the measures aimed at ensuring equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and vocational rehabilitation and training for workers with disabilities. The Government indicates in this respect that the National Access Plan (NAP) 2022–28 aims to increase participation in higher education by persons with disabilities, with specific targets for those with physical or sensory disabilities. The 2018 Progress Review of the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education showed significant increases in participation rates. Data in 2017 showed a 10.5 per cent overall participation rate, with notable increases for those with mobility, hearing and vision impairments. The 2022–28 NAP aims for a 16 per cent participation target by 2028, supported by the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) Fund. PATH 4, launched in May 2022 with a €12 million investment fund over four years, focuses on initiatives for students with disabilities, promoting Universal Design approaches and inclusive practices in higher education institutions. Regarding disability income supports, the Government provides information on measures that include the Partial Capacity Benefit, which allows recipients to continue to receive, in addition to their earnings from employment, a percentage of their income support payment while working. The Committee notes the detailed statistical information provided on the number of persons availing themselves of disability income support payments as of May 2023, disaggregated by age, sex, nature of the disability, and working status. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of the measures aimed at ensuring equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and vocational rehabilitation and training for workers with disabilities, by including information on the number of persons benefiting from these measures, disaggregated by age, sex and the nature of disability.

Article 8. Services in rural areas and remote communities. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment operates various schemes to assist the long-term unemployed, including persons with disabilities, through schemes like the Rural Social Scheme, Farm Assist, Tús, and the Community Employment Programme. The Rural Social Scheme supports underemployed farmers and fishers, including those with disabilities. In April 2023, there were nearly 3,000 participants involved in around 2,000 community projects. The Tús provides short-term employment for the unemployed, with approximately 4,500 participants at the end of April 2023. The Community Employment Programme offers part-time and temporary work placements in rural communities, supporting nearly 18,500 participants as at April 2023. The Committee notes that the report provides participant numbers and budgetary information for each scheme but does not include information on employment retention for individuals with disabilities. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated information on the vocational rehabilitation and employment services provided for persons with disabilities in rural areas and remote communities. It once again requests that the Government provide information on the impact of initiatives taken in terms of access to and retention in employment for persons with disabilities.