Michael Woods
Question:7 Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the plans, if any, he has to tackle, in a practical way, the disadvantages faced by people with disabilities in the course of the present year. [12204/95]
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.
Eric J. Byrne
Question:10 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the contacts, if any, he has had with IBEC to date with a view to increasing job opportunities for people with disabilities in the private sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12250/95]
Eric J. Byrne
Question:14 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to concerns that, while the 3 per cent quota for the employment of people with disabilities has been met in the Civil Service as a whole, there are huge variations in the percentages employed by different sections of the Civil Service; if, in particular, his attention has been drawn to the fact that just 1.5 per cent of those employed in the health service live with a disability; the proposals, if any, he has to ensure that the quota is implemented across the board, thus affording people with disabilities a wider range of choice in their careers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12251/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 10 and 14 together.
Since my Department was established it has played an important role in seeking to improve the situation of people with disabilities in a variety of ways, including active participation in most of the official fora concerned with promoting the welfare and safeguarding the interests of people with disabilities.
In that connection, an officer of the Department is a member of the following committees and groups: the physical and sensory disability review committee; the monitoring committee for the pilot supported employment programme and the advisory group on personal assistance — these three bodies operate under the aegis of the Department of Health; the monitoring committee for the employment of people with disabilities, which operates under the terms of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work; the inter-departmental transport accessibility committee, which operates under the aegis of the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications; the Irish Wheelchair Association Pilot Community Development Advisory Committee and the Helios II EU Programme.
In this way, I am kept apprised of developments and, on that basis, I am in a position to consider what action, in my particular area of responsibility, might be appropriate.
On 6 April 1995, I formally announced the setting up of an ad-hoc steering group to facilitate the establishment of a permanent Council for the Status of People with Disabilities. The council would be a major representational innovation which would be of great benefit to people with disabilities and their parents and carers.
There are ongoing contacts between my Department and IBEC aimed at exploring possibilities for improving the job prospects of people with disabilities in the private sector. On 24 May 1995 I met with representatives of IBEC and a wide-ranging discussion took place on possible initiatives to increase job opportunities for people with disabilities. IBEC and ICTU are represented on the monitoring committee for the employment of people with disabilities where my Department is also represented. This committee is actively addressing the issue of unemployment among people with disabilities.
The 3 per cent quota for the employment of people with disabilities has been achieved in the Civil Service overall.
My Department is engaged in ongoing consultations regarding the achievement of the 3 per cent quota in the wider public service. In this regard, a meeting is scheduled to take place on 6 July 1995 between officers from my Department and the Department of Health with a view to identifying opportunities for further improving the job prospects of people with disabilities in the health services. Officers from my Department and the Department of the Environment met recently to identify measures aimed at improving the position in the local authority services.
Will the Minister agree that access and mobility are of particular importance to people with disabilities and that they can do very little without them? Will he support the proposal of the Centre for Independent Living that is "vantastic" scheme should be expanded and developed, at least as a pilot project, whereby a driver is provided with a van to bring a number of people with disabilities and their personal assistants where they wish to go in the city? Has the Minister a view on the centre's work and can he assist it in any way?
I agree with Deputy Woods that access and mobility are important and I fully support anything that can be done to assist in that regard. There are two important groups working on that area of mobility, the interdepartmental transport accessibility committee operating under the aegis of the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications and the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities, that I set up, has a transport mobility working group which is examining all aspects of mobility for people with disabilities. I look forward to receiving its report which will be published shortly and its recommendations will be carefully examined. The legislation I am preparing on equal status will deal with all aspects of the lives of people with disabilities. I hope, by the time that is published the report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities will be available. Those important developments will take place within the next year or two and I hope they will produce real improvements in the lives of people with disabilities. That is the Government's objective and it is the reason we are working on those two important Bills, the first of which will be published this year and the second next year.
Will the Minister give his immediate support to the expansion of the scheme proposed by that centre dealing with people with disabilities, consider its advantages and discuss it with his colleagues? I am sure his colleagues in the Departments of Transport, Energy and Communications and Health are also concerned about this matter. It is important that this is given further consideration.
When we held discussions some time ago on the 3 per cent quota in the wider public service I suggested it should be higher. It has been exceeded in the Civil Service. Will the Minister indicate the take-up of that quota in other sectors? Is the figure for the health services 1.5 per cent?
I do not have specific figures for the environment and health areas, but I know both figures are low. The figure for the health board sector was 1.08 per cent in December 1993, the most recent date for which I have information. The quota in both sectors falls well short of the 3 per cent target achieved in the Civil Service. Since we held previous discussions on this matter we have had ongoing consultations with the Department of Health regarding employees of health boards and with the Department of the Environment regarding employees of local authorities. An energetic programme of examination is being carried out to ascertain what can be done in both those labour-intensive areas. Meetings have taken place and correspondence is being exchanged. Some difficulties arise, particularly in the health areas where many people with disabilities would be unable to carry out the necessary work. However, that is only a partial excuse. Much remains to be done in the environment and health areas in this regard and we will continue to have ongoing consultations with the Ministers involved. The Deputy could table separate questions to those Ministers.
It is sometimes difficult to frame a question suitable for the Minister for Equality and Law Reform because his work covers many Departments.
I have not noticed the Deputy having any difficulty in that regard.
Deputy Keogh and my colleagues have managed to table a sufficient number of questions during the session.
Will the Minister circulate this afternoon the breakdown of figures for health boards, the Departments of Social Welfare, Justice and so on? Does he agree it is a scandal that the percentage is a mere 1.08 per cent in the health area when it should be leading the way and striving to ensure that people with disabilities are appointed to positions within the health services which have a large employment potential? Will the Minister address that problem urgently?
As the figures to which the Deputy referred come within the ambit of the Departments involved, he should obtain them by tabling a question to the appropriate Minister. The figure of 1.08 per cent was recorded in December 1993 but the Department may have a more up to date figure. The Departments involved are concerned about the number of people with disabilities they employ. For example, the Department of Health is particularly concerned that the health services should be seen to observe equality principles in its employment and personnel practices and over the next few months will consolidate positive initiatives already under way in this regard in health agencies and produce a comprehensive equal opportunities policy and action plan which will take on board the principles set out in the code of practice for employment of the disabled in the Civil Service. A similar position obtains in the Department of the Environment regarding local authorities. These important issues are being addressed. In the months ahead ongoing consultation will take place between my Department and the two relevant Departments.