Vol. 453 No. 3
175 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the amount and nature of all spending within his Department and by bodies under his Department's aegis on schemes specifically directed towards meeting the needs of people with disabilities. [9384/95]
My Department does not operate any EU or national schemes specifically directed towards meeting the needs of people with disabilities. We are, however, along with bodies under the aegis of this Department, committed to the implementation of Government policy in relation to the employment of people with disabilities, improving access to our various premises for people with disabilities and minimising the problems facing people with certain disabilities in the working environment. For example: the Department employs 97 disabled staff at an approximate cost of £1.5 million per annum; Bord na gCon have installed ramps at greyhound tracks; An Bord Bia modified their lifts to improve wheelchair access; Teagasc are conscious of the need to ensure that people with disabilities are accommodated where possible on their training courses; and within the Department itself the attached table gives details of equipment recently purchased in order to improve the access to our buildings/facilities and to enhance the comfort and efficiency of the staff concerned.
Equipment Purchased
|
Item |
Cost |
Reason |
|
£ |
||
|
Evacuation Chairs |
17,000 |
To assist the mobility impaired in the event of an emergency evacuation of fire drill |
|
Telephone Equipment |
600 |
To assist staff with a hearing impairment |
|
Adjustable Desk |
500 |
For a mobility impaired staff member |
|
Ramp |
500 |
To provide easy access to and from our basement car park |
|
Lift Controls |
5,503 |
Buttons both inside and outside our passenger elevators to assist the mobility impaired |
