'Too high a bar' for people with intellectual disabilities to work in Local Authorities

Louth County Council have been told the bar is too high for people with intellectual disabilities to get a job in a local authority. 

The comments were made by Dundalk councillor Maeve Yore, who told the March meeting of Louth County Council that third level education is inaccessible for many with intellectual disabilities. 

Councillors were discussing a motion put forward by Labour councillor Pio Smith, who called on the local authority to note that people with disabilities remain under-represented in the public sector. 

Louth County Council acknowledged that people with disabilities remain under-represented but pointed out that 9.4% of its employees report living with a disability, well above the statutory baseline of 6%. 

The local authority also said it engaged in the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) Programme in 2025, which promotes access to the labour market for graduates with disabilities. The council said it will participate again this year. 

Cllr Yore welcomed the WAM scheme and labelled it as "progress" but said the local authority should look at different schemes for those with intellectual disabilities. 

"I’d love if we could revisit any scheme that’s more suitable, WAM is suitable for people with autism or physical disabilities but for people with intellectual disabilities it’s too high a bar to even apply for a job in a local authority," she said. 

Cllr Yore said her daughter, who has down syndrome, obtained a level 5 qualification in culinary arts. 

However, she told the meeting that her daughter was unable to obtain a level 6 qualification as she couldn't achieve the academic end of the course, despite completing the practical side. 

"I welcome the WAM scheme and it is progress, because I have been ranting about this for 12 years. I think we have to look at different schemes that could be available to people with intellectual disabilities, not just my daughter," she said. 

The Dundalk councillor said the issue of disability was raised at a recent meeting of the Association of Irish Local Government (AILG). 

Councillors were told that just 9 of the country's 31 local authorities have introduced the WAM Programme. She said of those 9 councils who took part, just 23 people have been employed from the programme. 

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Cllr Smith said his motion was to highlight "the difficulty and the struggle that people with disabilities have in trying to get access to employment". 

He pointed out that Ireland ranks lowest in the EU for disability employment (32.6%), almost 20% shy of the European average. 

The Labour councillor also highlighted that the disability employment gap for women is at 45%, and called it a "significant problem".

He called for “continuous investments in skills and education training to enhance the abilities of people who have got disabilities”.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.