Adaptation grant available for Waterford businesses for workplace inclusion
Workplace Adaptations Grants of up to €25,000 are available to support employers with funding to adapt their business premises for an employee or future employee with a disability.
Businesses and employers across Waterford can now apply for a range of grant supports aimed making workplaces more inclusive for people with disabilities under the new Work and Access Programme announced by government, with up to €25,000 available for workplace adaptations.
The programme has been warmly welcomed by Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh, who is the Green Party’s spokesperson on Social Protection: “One of the worrying statistics that we often hear discussed at the Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection, of which I’m the vice-chair, is the fact that Ireland has one of the lowest labour force participation rates for people with a disability across the OECD.”
“This has all sorts of implications, from social inclusion to poverty rates among disabled people, not to mind the huge untapped potential that is there for employers to unlock,” he added.
“The Work and Access Programme is aimed at removing some of the barriers that people with disabilities face when they try to enter the labour force. The Needs Assessment will help employers figure out the measures they need to undertake to make their workplace more accessible and inclusive. Adaptation grants of up to €25,000 will then be available to carry out those changes,” he continued, “A more diverse and inclusive workplace is good for business and good for employees. I very much hope these supports will encourage Waterford businesses to make positive strides in this direction.”
Work and Access offers seven key supports: Workplace Needs Assessment Grants; Workplace Adaptations Grants; Work Equipment Grants; Personal Reader funding; Communication support; In-Work Support funding; and Disability Equality and Inclusion Training funding.
"I strongly encourage employers to consider how the new Work and Access Programme can support them to make their workplaces better environments for staff with disabilities," said Minister Humphreys.
"All that is required to make a difference in someone’s life is to give them a chance," she added.
"Work and Access provides a wide range of practical supports that I believe will make a real and positive difference in people’s lives," the Minister concluded.
Full information on the Work and Access programme is available at gov.ie/workandaccess.
