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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 13 Nov 1984

Vol. 353 No. 9

Written Answers. - Training of Handicapped.

683.

asked the Minister for Health if he will explain the nature of the schemes for training the handicapped in 1983 and 1984. In particular, the reason the 1983 allocation of £20,769,870 involved 20,250 people while it is estimated that 16,700 people will be involved in 1984, even though the allocation has been increased to over £28 million.

I presume the Deputy is referring to the European Communities programme under which grants towards the costs of training people for employment are available from the European Social Fund.

Grants are available from the European Social Fund towards the cost of providing vocational rehabilitation training for disabled people who have been assessed as capable with suitable training, of working in open employment. The costs against which grant may be claimed would include such things as depreciation in respect of buildings and equipment, training of trainers and the other costs of providing training for eligible handicapped persons — for example, wages and allowances paid etc.

The training of disabled people in a wide range of work skills is provided by a combination of State and voluntary agencies in a considerable variety of training centres and workshops throughout the country.

The reason for the fall off in numbers between 1983 and 1984 is that the statistical base on which the claim made for certain workshops in the psychiatric area was changed in 1984. The figures in 1984 reflect the number of places available in the workshops rather than the throughput of trainees, as was the case in 1983.

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