By People with Disabilities

1. I am a disabled person, how do I get on a FÁS training course?
2. How can FÁS help me find employment?
3. Are there advantages for a disabled person seeking to avail of FÁS training, including specialist training?
4. I am a disabled person, are all FÁS training courses available to me?
5. Can disabled people, not in receipt of a disability payment from the Department of Social Protection, avail of FÁS services for disabled people?
6. I am a disabled person on a specialist training course; can I transfer on to a mainstream FÁS training course?
7. If I avail of a FÁS training course, will it affect my Department of Social Protection  payment?
8. Are FÁS Training Centres and Employment Services offices accessible to wheelchair users?
9. Can I, as a person with a disability, avail of FÁS Community Employment?
10. How do I apply for the Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant?
11. Where can I get application forms?
12. Can apprentices avail of the Wage Subsidy Scheme?
13. Are there any tax incentives for disabled people?
14. I am disabled and I want to start my own business, are there any grants available for me?
15. Does FÁS provide Personal Assistants (PAs)?

By Employers

1. How do I recruit a person with a disability?
2. What is available to employers who employ or intend to employ a disabled person?
3. Can public service employers apply for FÁS grants?
4. Will FÁS pay for an interpreter in the workplace?
5. Are there PRSI exemptions for employers who employ disabled people?
6. If I employ a disabled person, or want to improve my service for a customer with disabilities, is there a grant available to help me train my other employees to become 'disability-aware'?
7. A disabled person is joining my company, how can I prepare my other employees for this? How do I register as a disability awareness trainer with FÁS?

By People with Disabilities

1. I am a disabled person, how do I get on a FÁS training course?
   Contact your local FÁS Office, complete a registration form and ask for an interview with an Employment Services Officer. They will advise you of your options including FÁS training and employment programmes and assist you in making career decisions.
2. How can FÁS help me find employment?
   Jobs are advertised in the FÁS offices and at FÁS Jobs Ireland. In addition various employment programmes are available from FÁS to assist disabled people into employment, including Supported Employment, Wage Subsidy Scheme and Workplace Equipment Adaptation Grant.
   To avail of any of the above, please contact your local FÁS Office, complete a registration form and arrangements will be made for an interview with an Employment Services Officer. They will advise and help you to make career decisions.
3. Are there advantages for a disabled person seeking to avail of FÁS training, including specialist training?
   Yes, disabled people are considered priority cases for FÁS training courses, including specialist training for disabled people. Where a disabled person has identified a training requirement and this training is not offered by FÁS, it is possible that FÁS may meet some of the costs of this training from its Customised Training Fund.
4. I am a disabled person, are all FÁS training courses available to me?
   Yes, provided you meet the entry criteria. Any specialist equipment or adaptations required to assist a disabled person on a training course will be put in place, if FÁS is advised of this requirement at least 6 weeks in advance of training. FÁS cannot be responsible if they are not informed prior to starting on the course.
5. Can disabled people, not in receipt of a disability payment from the Department of Social Protection, avail of FÁS services for disabled people?
   Yes, but verification may be sought by the Employment Services Officer.
6. I am a disabled person on a specialist training course, can I transfer to a mainstream FÁS training course?
   Yes, provided you meet the entry criteria. Any specialist equipment or adaptations required to assist you on a training course will be put in place, if FÁS is advised of this requirement in advance of the training.
7. If I avail of a FÁS training course, will it affect my Department of Social Protection payment?
   If you are in receipt of Illness Allowance or Blind Person's Pension, FÁS will pay a training allowance equivalent to your social welfare payment for the duration of your attendance on the course. In addition, FÁS will pay you a training bonus.
   If you are in receipt of Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension, you must obtain an exemption from the Rules of Behaviour from the Department of Social Protection before you can engage in FÁS training. Provided you have obtained this exemption, you will retain your social welfare payments in addition to receiving the FÁS training allowance. However, you will not receive the FÁS training bonus.
   Participants on FÁS training courses continue to receive any secondary benefits they were in receipt of before taking up the FÁS training course. Also, Department of Social Protection will restore your social welfare payment, if, for any reason you are unable to continue your training.
8. Are FÁS Training Centres and Employment Services Offices accessible to wheelchair users?
   FÁS has made substantial progress in making its public offices wheelchair accessible. Where access does present a difficulty, every effort will be made to accommodate the person at an alternative location. It is advisable that you ring ahead and check accessibility before attending your interview.
9. Can I, as a person with a disability, avail of FÁS Community Employment (CE)?
   Yes, you can avail of it as a means of progression into the open labour market, provided that you are in receipt of a Department of Social Protection disability payment. It is part-time, 20 hours per week, and you will be paid a weekly allowance from CE. Provided you receive permission from the Department of Social Protection, you will be allowed to continue to receive all or part of your social welfare payment.
10. How do I apply for the Workplace Equipment Adaptation Grant?
    Contact your local FÁS Office and complete an application form. You will need to identify the equipment and/or adaptation required and submit quotations to the Employment Services Officer dealing with your application. The grant will then be paid to you to cover the costs agreed.
11. Where can I get application forms?
    You can get application forms from your local FÁS office or FÁS Training Centre. They can also be Downloaded from this website.
12. Can apprentices avail of the Wage Subsidy Scheme?
    

    Yes. There is a special positive action programme for 20 apprentices with a disability per annum. It can be for new, existing or redundant apprentices and the rate is €5 per hour. Obviously the employer will only receive the grant when the apprentice is actually working for them and not when the apprentice is attending a FÁS Training Centre or college.

13. Are there any tax incentives for disabled people?
    The Revenue Job Assist, allows a disabled person who has been in receipt of Illness Allowance or Blind Pension for a minimum of 12 months, an additional tax allowance. Exact details are to be found on the Revenue Commissioners website and submitting the words 'Revenue Job Assist' on the search engine.

14. I am disabled and I want to start my own business, are there any grants available for me?
    No, there are no specific grants available from FÁS. You may apply to do a FÁS Enterprise Training course, which is aimed at people who wish to start their own business. Also, you may avail of the Workplace Equipment Adaptation Grant if required.
15. Does FÁS provide Personal Assistants (PAs)?
    No, FÁS does not provide this service. FÁS policy, as determined by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment, is that PAs are the responsibility of the Department of Health and Children. Please contact your local Health Executive for further information.

By Employers

1. How do I recruit a person with a disability?
   There are a couple of options open to you, you can:
   • Contact your local FÁS Office;
   • Advertise on FÁS Jobs Ireland;
   • Advertise in national and local newspapers.
   Wording for such advertisements should contain wording such as "company name is an equal opportunities employer and applications from suitably qualified disabled people are actively encouraged" or "company name is an equal opportunities employer. Applications would be particularly welcome from disabled people who may meet the job requirements".
2. What is available to employers who employ or intend to employ a disabled person?
   An employer can avail of several FÁS schemes and Grants, including Supported Employment, Wage Subsidy Scheme, Workplace Equipment Adaptation Grant, Personal Reader Grant, Employee Retention Grant Scheme and Disability Awareness Support Scheme.
3. Can public service employers apply for FÁS Grants?
   No, all FÁS grants and schemes are only available to the private sector with one exception, the Job Interview Interpreter Grant. This can be used when jobseekers with disabilities attend interviews in the public service, as well as the private sector.
4. Will FÁS pay for an interpreter in the workplace?
   Yes, the FÁS Job Interview Interpreter Grant is available for the services of an interpreter when induction programmes are being run.
5. Are there PRSI exemptions for employers who employ disabled people?
   No, traditionally an employer recruiting a person with a disability was allowed, by the Department of Social Protection, an exemption from paying the employer's portion of PRSI contributions, for two years. This was abolished in the budget issued in 2003.
6. If I employ a disabled person, or want to improve my service for a customer with disabilities, is there a grant available to help me train my other employees to become 'disability-aware'?
   You can avail of the Disability Awareness Support Scheme. This scheme assists the integration of people with disabilities into the workforce and eliminates mistaken perceptions about disabled people and their capacity to be productive and effective colleagues and employees. This grant is paid towards the costs of training aimed at providing participants with an understanding and awareness of the issues surrounding disability, especially as it impacts on the participation of disabled people in the workforce. To apply for this grant, please contact your local FÁS Training Centre.
7. A disabled person is joining my company, how can I prepare my other employees for this?
   The Disability Awareness Support Scheme is operated through your local FÁS Training Centre. It is a grant, paid toward the costs of providing training aimed at increasing participants understanding and awareness of the issues surrounding disability, especially as it impacts on the participation of disabled people in the workforce. It has been developed to address the concerns that employers and employees may have about working with disabled people. Further information can be obtained from your local FÁS Training Centre.
8. How do I register as a disability awareness trainer with FÁS?
   You will need to complete a registration form, which can be obtained from the FÁS Enterprise Ireland National Register of Trainers department in Head Office, tel.: +353 (0)1 607 0500. This form will be brought before a committee, which meets once a month, and who will confirm if you qualify as a trainer.