Calleary hosts EU counterparts in Ballina for Social Protection meeting

Minister Dara Calleary welcomed his European counterparts to Ballina this morning for a formal meeting of Ministers for Social Protection, held at St. Mary's Secondary School.

Getting people with disabilities into employment is central to Calleary's agenda, and the issue will take centre stage during Ireland's Presidency of the EU. Ireland is aiming to learn from its European counterparts on the matter.

The social protection minister pointed to local employers already leading the way, naming Mr. Price and Supervalu as examples. He said his goal is to see people with disabilities employed front of house, and not simply as part of a box-ticking exercise.

The minister acknowledged the scale of the challenge facing Ireland. A recent report from the Open Doors Initiative found that Ireland has one of the highest disability employment gaps in the EU, with less than half of working-age people with disabilities in employment, compared to over seventy per cent of those without a disability. Minister Calleary said this was a fact he was "not hiding away from."

The Ballina native spoke of his pride in showcasing Mayo to his EU colleagues. He noted the county's recent hosting of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and recalled Ballina's hosting of US President Joe Biden in 2023.

Calleary said Ireland has benefited enormously from EU membership. He added that Ballina's ability to host major multinational companies is due in no small part to that membership.

The minister also referenced a recent visit by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin to Mayo, during which the Taoiseach visited AbbVie and Vantive.

An informal event was held at the Foxford Woollen Mills on Sunday night with the main meeting taking place in Ballina throughout Monday. Major traffic disruptions were underway due to the number of high-level delegates staying in the north Mayo town from Sunday to Tuesday of last week.