Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2019
190. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number or percentage of employees in his Department and in the agencies under his aegis with intellectual disabilities; his plans to increase this number to promote and support the employment of persons with intellectual disabilities as outlined in the Disability Act 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17485/19]
View answer191. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department and the agencies under his aegis track the numbers of employees they have with an intellectual disability; his plans to do so in order to help set targets and increase workplace opportunities for those with intellectual disabilities such as those outlined in the national disability inclusion strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17502/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 191 together.
My department is fully committed to supporting full implementation of the Government’s Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) 2015-2024 to address the barriers and challenges that impact on the employment of people with disabilities and participates on the CES Implementation Group. Working along with other Government departments and agencies, including the National Disability Authority (NDA), my department is currently finalising content on over 20 actions for inclusion in the second CES action plan for the period 2019-21. Actions being developed range from participation in early childhood education to progression and participation in further education and training and higher education to support progression and participation in employment.
While data on compliance with Part V of the Disability Act is gathered by my department and the department's aegis bodies on the percentage of people with disabilities employed, data is not gathered specifically on the numbers with intellectual disabilities. In 2017 my Department reported 4.01% of employees with a disability under the definition of the disability Act 2005. The 18 aegis bodies of my department overall reported a compliance level of 4% for 2017 – exceeding the 3% target.
It is proposed under the CES that these targets will rise incrementally from 4% this year to 6% in 2024
In respect of 2018 compliance, my department’s Monitoring Committee is currently gathering data from each of its aegis bodies on compliance in 2018, which it must return to the NDA by 30 June 2019.
My department also took part in the Job Shadow Day 2018 and my colleague, John Halligan TD, Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research & Development hosted a young person from WALK ( Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability) for the Irish Association of Supporting Employment Job Shadow Day on 25 April 2018. Job Shadow Day is a national day of awareness to promote equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
