Latest news with #WageSubsidyScheme
The Irish Sun
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Six new social welfare changes to little-known €245 weekly payment – are you eligible?
SIX changes to a little-known social welfare payment worth €245 each week have been confirmed. The upcoming Advertisement 3 The scheme is designed to support more disabled people into employment Credit: Getty 3 Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary, Minister of State in attendance Hildegarde Naughton, Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley Credit: Niall Carson/PA Wire The Wage Subsidy Scheme gives financial support to employers who employ people with disabilities. The scheme is designed to support more disabled people into employment. The changes announced are a result of the recommendations from a review of the WSS, which was carried out by the Department of Social Protection in August 2024. Advertisement Read more in Money The employer will pay the employee the going rate for the job. And the basic rate of subsidy is €6.30 per hour with the maximum annual subsidy to the employer of €12,776, based on a 39-hour week. And this equals around €245.69 each week. The employee must work at least 15 hours a week. Advertisement MOST READ IN MONEY Speaking at the event last week, the Taoiseach said: "I am delighted to launch these improvements to the Wage Subsidy Scheme. Little known social welfare benefits thousands are entitled to "Supports like this play not only a critical role in closing the employment gap for people with disabilities, reducing poverty and supporting families and communities, but also for employers in bringing new ideas, skills and knowledge to their businesses. "I am committed to advancing the rights and improving the lives of people with disabilities including through removing barriers to employment. "Supports such as this revised Wage Subsidy Scheme recognise that the perspective, talents, and contributions of people with disabilities across society add immeasurably to the quality, the richness and the diversity of all our lives." Advertisement SIX NEW CHANGES TO WSS THE reformed scheme now implements the six recommendations made in the review: Reduce the minimum required hours for the scheme. The minimum hours requirement to avail of the subsidy has been reduced from 21 hours to 15 hours to enable those with more limited work capacity to be included. Remove the term 'productivity deficit' from the scheme. The scheme no longer focuses on a productivity deficit but on the need to adapt the role to a disabled person's ability. Expand the scheme beyond recruitment to include retention of people returning to work. This is particularly important as most disabilities are acquired. People who return to work on Partial Capacity Benefit and who have acquired their disability or health condition in the previous 12 months are now eligible. Expand the scheme to the community and voluntary sector and commercial state-sponsored sector. This will increase employment opportunities for disabled people by expanding the scheme beyond private sector employers to all non-public sector employers. Review the subsidy rate on a regular basis. This will ensure that the subsidy continues to sufficiently support employers. The subsidy rate will be reviewed at least every three years. Promote and improve knowledge of the scheme. The Minister has today launched a nationwide publicity campaign for the Wage Subsidy Scheme to promote and improve knowledge of the scheme. Minister Calleary added: "I strongly encourage employers to consider how the Wage Subsidy Scheme can improve their business and offer substantial and sustainable employment to disabled people." "I believe that the changes made to the Wage Subsidy Scheme will make it more accessible and flexible for both employers and disabled people. "People with disabilities have the talents and skills that employers need. "Improving employment prospects for disabled people is an absolute priority for me, the Taoiseach and this government." Advertisement There are around 1,500 employers who are already taking part in the Wage Subsidy Scheme across the country. WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR WSS? You must be at least 18 years of age to participate in the WSS and you cannot take part if you are eligible to apply for the State Pension. The scheme is not available to self-employed people, people on the Community Employment scheme, Tús, or the Rural Social Scheme, or those who are on the Work Placement Experience Programme. You can qualify for the WSS without a medical assessment if you are getting one of the following disability payments: Advertisement Disability Allowance Blind Pension Disablement Pension - at 20 per cent or more for life Illness Benefit Invalidity Pension If you are not getting a disability payment, you can still apply for the WSS. To apply, you need a recent specialist's report or doctor's letter confirming your disability. Your doctor must also fill out a confidential medical report form confirming that you have a disability which will reduce your ability to work. Minister for Advertisement "There is so much potential and talent that can be tapped into. "I hope these improvements to the scheme will encourage more employers to become involved and provide real opportunities for people with disabilities to showcase their talents and abilities.' 3 Taoiseach Micheal Martin and the Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary last week announced the expansion of the scheme Credit:
BreakingNews.ie
04-06-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Taoiseach launches expansion of Wage Subsidy Scheme
The Government has announced a reformed scheme to support more disabled people into employment. The Wage Subsidy Scheme gives employers financial support to encourage them to hire people with disabilities. Advertisement Employers can get a subsidy of between €6.30-€9.45 per hour, depending on the number of workers employed under the scheme. The support can help cover the cost of adapting a role for the employee. Under measures announced by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary, the scheme is to be extended to the community and voluntary sector as well as the commercial state-sponsored sector. In addition, there will be a reduction in the minimum required hours to avail of the subsidy – down from 21 to 15 hours. Advertisement The scheme has also been expanded beyond recruitment to include retention of people returning to work on Partial Capacity Benefit. The subsidy rate is to be reviewed at least every three years. Disability Minister Norma Foley and junior minister Hildegarde Naughton also addressed a launch event at Chartered Accountants House in Dublin on Wednesday. Mr Martin said: 'Supports like this play not only a critical role in closing the employment gap for people with disabilities, reducing poverty and supporting families and communities, but also for employers in bringing new ideas, skills and knowledge to their businesses. Advertisement 'I am committed to advancing the rights and improving the lives of people with disabilities including through removing barriers to employment. 'Supports such as this revised Wage Subsidy Scheme recognise that the perspective, talents, and contributions of people with disabilities across society add immeasurably to the quality, the richness and the diversity of all our lives.'
Irish Examiner
04-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Justice minister to accelerate building of nearly 1,000 prison spaces across the country
A plan to build nearly 1,000 more prison spaces before the end of the decade is to be accelerated, the justice minister will tell Cabinet today. Jim O'Callaghan will inform ministers that the Irish Prison Service can deliver 150 additional spaces at Castlerea, 180 at the Midlands Prison, 50 spaces at the Dóchas Centre women's prison, 100 at Wheatfield, and 150 at Mountjoy — all 12 months ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, the rebuild of the Old Cork Prison site will see 230 additional male spaces and 100 for women. That facility is due to finish at the beginning of 2031. Jim O'Callaghan has engaged with public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers to allow for the acceleration of prison projects — reducing delivery timelines by up to 18 months in some cases. The Minister will inform government that the prison estate as a whole is currently operating at 115% over capacity with a new record high of 5,394 in prison in mid-April — an 11% rise in 12 months and over 1,100 more people in prison than in January 2023. Overcrowding creates "an increasing level of risk for the Irish Prison Service, its staff and the people in its custody including rises in assaults, pressure on all ancillary services, threats to staff safety, and insufficient capacity to respond effectively to emergencies", he is set to tell cabinet. He also intends to introduce an electronic tagging pilot programme in the coming months. Meanwhile, housing minister James Browne will bring to cabinet a memo updating ministers on the progress of plans to exempt modular homes in existing gardens. Planning minister John Cummins has been pursuing changes to provide exemptions for detached cabin or modular-style structures at the back of properties. Currently, planning exemptions are in place for a 40sq m extension that is attached to a property. Cabinet will hear that an interdepartmental consultation is "substantially complete" with 11 government departments making submissions. A public consultation will take place this month and finalisation of exempted developments regulations will follow. Sources said that the plan would increase the ability to "expand and improve existing planning exemptions" and it is understood that the review has identified areas that are in need of updating to enable the quicker delivery of certain education, health, and utility infrastructure. Minister for social protection Dara Calleary will announce the expansion of the Wage Subsidy Scheme which aims to help more disabled people get and retain jobs. Enterprise minister Peter Burke will also tell Cabinet that he is setting up a new group with the sole aim of reducing the cost of running a business. The Cost of Business Advisory Forum will hold its first meeting on June 11 and will bring together business owners, retailers, tourism operators, accounting professionals and representative groups—alongside regulators and state agencies. Also at Cabinet, minister for higher Education James Lawless will request cabinet note his plans to launch a further call for applications under the Technological Sector and Specialist Colleges Enhancement Fund (TEF) which funds initiatives aimed at developing Technological Universities (TU's), Institutes of Technology (IOTs) and publicly-funded specialist colleges.
