asked the Minister for Labour if he will amend the Employment Equality Act, 1977, in order to ensure that physically handicapped persons in wheelchairs who are job applicants are not discriminated against by employers because of the absence of adequate physical facilities in the workplace.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Facilities for Physically Handicapped.
8.
The Employment Equality Act, 1977 is concerned with discrimination on grounds of sex or marital status as regards recruitment for employment, access to training and promotional opportunities and in working conditions, and implements EEC Directive 76/207/EEC of 9 February, 1976 on equal treatment. The provisions in the legislation would not be appropriate for dealing with difficulties about the availability or otherwise of physical facilities to facilitate the employment of handicapped persons.
The Government are conscious of the need for special physical facilities in the workplace to facilitate the employment of certain categories of handicapped persons including those in wheelchairs. As far as new Government offices planned by the Office of Public Works are concerned it is the practice since 1972 to provide special facilities for physically handicapped persons. New training centres built by AnCO also include special facilities for physically handicapped persons undergoing training. The Minister for the Environment has advised local authorities to take the needs of the disabled into account in buildings provided by them, and to encourage private developers to do likewise.
The Inter-Departmental Committee for the employment of disabled persons in the public service is at present examining the whole matter in relation to employment in the public service.
While we are glad to see that improvements have been made in this area in the public service, as itemised by the Minister, does he not accept that there is a very serious problem in relation to people who apply for jobs in the private sector who are otherwise perfectly qualified for those jobs but are refused even basic consideration for employment because of the absence of physical facilities? Is there not a real problem here for people in this category?
Yes. The Deputy asked about the Employment Equality Act and he must appreciate why that is not relevant in this situation. I referred to the inter-Department committee. I share the Deputy's concern and would encourage private industry and industry generally to take cognisance of the problems of the handicapped and all wheelchair people in access to employment and indeed to job applications when they arise. As the Deputy is aware, one can do more in the public sector than can be done in the private sector.
If we accept that the Employment Equality Act might not be the appropriate way of meeting the situation could the Minister tell us how he proposes to encourage the private sector in this way?
I said there are difficulties in the private sector, but I have undertaken responsibility for the inter-Departmental committee set up by the public sector who will be reporting back. I hope that these reports or interim reports will come to hand very quickly so that progress can be made in a very important area.