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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Jun 1998

Vol. 492 No. 4

Written Answers. - Sheltered Employment.

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

73 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the recently published report by the National Rehabilitation Board's National Advisory Committee on Training and Employment which called for urgent action to address the lack of any legal framework to protect people in sheltered and supported work and recommended an immediate sum of £6 million to be allocated to increase the availability of sheltered or supported work and employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11523/98]

The NRB has forwarded to me a copy of the report of its National Advisory Committee on Training and Employment, NACTE entitled, "Employment Challenges for the Millennium — A Strategy for Employment for People with Disabilities in Sheltered and Supported Work and Employment". The report is being examined by my Department at present.

The report is wide-ranging. It examines current approaches to work and employment for people with disabilities; it recommends future policy changes taking account of best international practice.

As such the report impacts on a variety of aspects underlining current policy in the disability sector, for example, departmental responsibility, financial supports and the legal framework. All of these matters are being considered by my Department in conjunction with other relevant authorities. For instance, my Department is currently addressing the issue of standards for sheltered workshops and it is envisaged that a standards working committee will be operational soon. Another key feature of the NACTE report relates to the mainstreaming of opportunities for people with disabilities.
The Deputy may wish to note that the establishment group — Government decision, 18 November 1997 — under the aegis of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, tasked with,inter alia, the preparation of proposals for a National Disability Authority is finalising its work. An essential ingredient of its task has been to focus on the transfer of responsibility for certain aspects of training and employment for people with disabilities from the Department of Health and Children to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. These developments serve as a backdrop to our consideration of the NACTE report.
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