Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 February 2010
179 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her Department’s comprehensive employment strategy contains a dedicated strand to consider specific approaches for persons with mental health problems; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4742/10]
View answer180 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on establishing a mental health sub-group for the development of her Department’s comprehensive employment strategy; her further views on appointing persons with direct experience of mental health issues to this committee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4743/10]
View answer181 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will implement all of the relevant recommendations in A Vision for Change; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4744/10]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 179 to 181, inclusive, together.
My Department has led on the advancement of an outline for a Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities in close consultation with other Government Departments and key stakeholder representatives on the Department's Consultative Forum. The aim of this strategy is to address the diversity of circumstances, needs and abilities of people with disabilities, and to work towards achieving the highest possible levels of employment for them.
To this end, my Department and the Department of Health and Children have established a Cross Sectoral Group on an employment strategy for people with disabilities. It includes representatives from the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Health and Children, and Social and Family Affairs, together with FÁS and the HSE. It aims to provide a mechanism for a cross-sectoral approach between Departments and agencies with responsibility for the delivery of the mainstreaming agenda in respect of increasing the employment prospects of people with disabilities.
The group will seek to progress a targeted action plan based on the commitments set out in the Departmental Sectoral Plans, including the further advancement of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy and the provision of a continuum of training and employment support services for all types of disability and impairment. The need for establishing any appropriate sub-groups in pursuance of this objective will be kept under review by the group.
The implementation of recommendations in A Vision for Change relevant to my Department is being progressed under the Department's Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act, 2005, and will be further advanced under the outline for a Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities under this Plan.
