Limerick educator makes bid to close disability employment gap in Ireland

A LIMERICK-based trade union educator is promoting a national initiative to close Ireland’s “disability employment gap” by training union leaders, representatives, and members on the frontlines of neurodiversity advocacy.

Dan O’Neill, a Limerick tutor and learning co-ordinator at Siptu College – Ireland’s only trade union educational facility – delivered a workshop entitled ‘Neurodiversity at Work: Fighting Ableism and Supporting Union Members.’

The session, attended by shop stewards and workers nationwide, tackled the barriers facing neurodivergent employees in the Irish labour market.

It comes as data reveals that up to one in four employees now self-identify as neurodivergent.

Despite this, Ireland currently holds the highest disability employment gap in the European Union, standing at 39%.

Mr O’Neill said: “Neurodivergent workers aren’t a niche group; they are in every factory, office, and hospital in Limerick and across the country. Too many of our members are struggling in silence because of outdated workplace structures and cultures. As a movement, we are beyond ‘awareness’ and advocating for people’s real, enforceable rights. We are empowering workers to demand the accommodations they are legally entitled to, and to negotiate collectively for neurodiversity policies in their workplaces.”

The workshop provided specialised training on the Employment Equality Acts, focusing on how Limerick businesses and national employers can implement “reasonable accommodations,” like sensory-friendly environments or flexible scheduling, to retain talent.

Both Mr O’Neill and Siptu are calling for neurodiversity rights to be embedded directly into collective bargaining agreements, ensuring that inclusivity becomes a standard contractual right rather than being seen by some as a discretionary favour.

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