At just 32.6% and almost 20 points below the EU average, Ireland has one of the lowest disability employment rates in the EU. For Autistic people, the picture is starker, with global research showing over 80% are unemployed.
This was the urgent message to employers and policymakers at the 14th Autism-Europe International Congress in Dublin’s RDS on Friday. The event, hosted by Ibec and AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism charity, marked the launch of the Roadmap for Autism and Employment – a joint initiative setting out practical steps for government and business to address systemic barriers that keep Autistic people locked out of the workforce.
Speaking at the session, Adam Harris, CEO of AsIAm, said that this was ‘not just a social justice issue, it’s an economic imperative’.
Full story in this week’s Print & Digital Edition.
