Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 July 2017
73. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way her Department is improving services and increasing supports for persons with disabilities during 2017. [34035/17]
View answerThe mission of my Department is to lead on the creation and maintenance of high quality and sustainable full employment by championing enterprise across government. While my Department does not have a direct role on the formulation of policy on the provision of employment or other supports or services specifically for people with disabilities, it did participate in the development of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) for Persons with a Disability and is a member of the Implementation Group for this Strategy. In addition, my Department is a member of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Group, which is launching its 2017-2020 Strategy document this week. Both this Group and the CES are led by the Department of Justice and Equality.
My Department is progressing its commitments under the Comprehensive Employment Strategy through its Agencies. For example, in April 2017, Enterprise Ireland hosted a Knowledge Sharing event under the Employer Support Initiative in conjunction with the National Disability Authority (NDA) to increase awareness of the potential of employees with disabilities. During the year, Enterprise Ireland was also engaged with NDA's Centre for Excellence in Universal Design to provided advice to the five competitors that were selected for the next stage of the challenge of the Homes for Smart Aging Competition. Under another CES action, the Local Enterprise Offices have engaged a training provider to provide their staff with training to ensure that they are skilled to provide inclusive services.
My Department will continue to work across Government to ensure that people with disabilities have the opportunity to participate fully in the workforce.
The Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 prohibits discrimination on nine grounds, including the ground of disability. The Acts apply to prospective employees in claiming discrimination in access to employment. Any person who believes that s/he has experienced discrimination which is contrary to the Employment Equality Acts may seek redress by referring a complaint to the Director General of the Workplace Relations Commission, which is an Office of my Department. A case may be lodged through the Workplace Relations Commission’s website at www.workplacerelations.ie. General information relating to employment rights is available on the website and from the Workplace Relations Commission’s Information Service at Telephone: 1890 80 80 90.
