Minister Humphreys launches public consultation on the review of the Wage Subsidy Scheme
- Published on: 23 June 2023
- Last updated on: 12 April 2025
- Minister urges employers, people with disabilities, and representative groups to make their views known on how the existing scheme can be improved
Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys has today launched a public consultation on the review of the Wage Subsidy Scheme.
The Wage Subside Scheme aims to support disabled people into employment by way of a subsidy for private sector employers.
The consultation will run over the next four weeks and forms part of a wider review of the scheme.
Launching the public consultation today, Minister Humphreys said:
“I want this scheme to work for people with disabilities and for employers. So I want to hear what you think of the current scheme and if you have any ideas about how to improve it.
“This scheme is important. It helps make workplaces more inclusive and inclusion benefits everyone; businesses, individuals, and society.
“I urge stakeholders to make their views known – this is an opportunity for employers, people with disabilities, and representative groups to share their views on how the existing scheme can be improved.”
The Terms of Reference for the review of the Wage Subsidy Scheme are:
1. Set out in brief the background to the Wage Subsidy Scheme and recent trends
2. Identify international best practice in employer subsidy schemes for disabled people
3. Assess the effectiveness of the scheme, including by reference to:
- take-up and accessibility of the scheme
- progression of participants
- governance
- cost-effectiveness
4. Set out findings, conclusions and recommendations to fine-tune and expand the scheme, as per the Programme for Government commitment
The surveys and information about this public consultation are available at Public Consultation - Wage Subsidy Review.
The consultation will run over the next 4 weeks and will close at 5pm on Friday, 21 July 2023.
Notes
The Wage Subsidy Scheme aims to support disabled people into employment by way of a subsidy for private sector employers.
The scheme pays a minimum subsidy rate of €6.30 an hour to the employer, which can increase to €9.45 per hour depending on the number of people employed under the scheme.
The employment contract being offered must be of at least 21 hours a week and a subsidy can be claimed for a maximum of 39 hours a week.