Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 December 2017
106. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who have gained employment as a result of the comprehensive employment strategy for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46701/17]
View answerThe Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities was launched in October 2015. The Strategy sets out a ten-year approach to ensuring that people with disabilities who are able to, and want to, work are supported and enabled to do so. It is a cross-government approach that brings together actions by different Departments and state agencies in a concerted effort to address the barriers and challenges that impact on employment of people with disabilities. In tandem with that, it seeks to ensure there will be joined-up services and supports at local level to support individuals on their journey into and in employment.
The Strategy's six strategic priorities are:
- Build skills, capacity and independence
- Provide bridges and supports into work
- Make work pay
- Promote job retention and re-entry to work
- Provide coordinated and seamless support and
- Engage employers
The Strategy is overseen by an implementation group, which was established under the independent chairmanship of Fergus Finlay. This group is tasked with monitoring the progress of the above six strategic priorities, ensuring that each Government Department is fulfilling its obligations and meeting its targets.
The Strategy contains commitments in relation to:
- An increase in the public service employment target of people with disabilities on a phased basis from 3% to 6%.
- Special public service competitions for people with disabilities and the opening up of alternative recruitment channels for people with disabilities.
- The provision of an NDA-assisted employer helpline to provide expert guidance and peer support to employers in relation to the employment of staff with disabilities. (This was established in January 2016). The Strategy will be reviewed and renewed every three years.
The Chair's first annual report is available here:
http://justice.ie/en/JELR/Report_of_the_Chair_of_the_Comprehensive_Employment_Strategy_Implementation_Group-2016.pdf/Files/Report_of_the_Chair_of_the_Comprehensive_Employment_Strategy_Implementation_Group-2016.pdf
The first few years of the Strategy are necessarily a foundation phase, and accordingly, it was never seen as likely that any significant increase in the employment of people with disabilities would be recorded at this early stage of implementation. Rather the intention has been to ensure that the barriers to employment are broken down systematically, and that necessary supports are put in place across the range of public services that affect the lives of people with disabilities.
Unfortunately the Department does not have statistics with regard to the number of people who have gained employment directly as a result of the Strategy as such employment tends to be spread over a range of areas.
