Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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432. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the training and progression programme for young adults with additional needs can be maintained and remain operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52768/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The programme to which the Deputy refers is being funded under the current Dormant Accounts Fund Measure to Support the Employment of People with Disabilities which was a new employment support measure for people with disabilities introduced last year. On 30 July 2021, I announced that 45 projects had been funded up to an amount of €7.6 million. Prior to applying for this measure, all organisations were notified of the relevant timelines which were clearly indicated in the Call for Applications in April of last year. This programme began in September 2021 and runs up to the end of 2022.

It was agreed that a new employment programme for people with disabilities would be included in the new Operational Programme for Ireland under the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027. This new disability focused employment measure will build on the learnings of the former Ability Programme which was a three-year programme which concluded at end of August 2021. The new programme will also need to add complementarity to the suite of existing employment supports targeted at people with disabilities provided by my department and broader national strategies for employment of people with disabilities, including the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities.

The ESF Managing Authority in Ireland - based in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science - has compiled the Operational Programme for Ireland which has been approved by Government. The Operational Programme has been formally submitted to the European Commission. It is expected that Commission approval will be communicated before the end of the year.

Once approval is in place, it is anticipated that the new disability programme will be open by way of a competitive process to applications from organisations across the country, including the 45 organisations currently being funded under the Dormant Accounts Measure outlined above. It is expected that this new ESF+ programme will open to applications in 2023.

I am very keen to avoid a gap in funding between the current Dormant Accounts Fund employment support measure for people with disabilities and the anticipated new ESF+ programme.

In this regard, planning in relation to the Dormant Accounts Action Plan 2023 began in May of this year. The draft Action Plan has been submitted to Government for approval, by my colleague Joe O' Brien TD Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, and it is expected that it will be published towards the end of October.

I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.