Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 November 2021
141. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action he is taking to assist those who are blind or visually impaired to gain employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56405/21]
View answerThe Government is committed to improving the employment opportunities for all people with disabilities. There is a dedicated cross-government strategy, the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities (CES), to address these barriers and to drive progress in this area.
There are six strategic priorities in the CES (i) to build skills, capacity and independence, (ii) to provide bridges and supports into work, (iii) to make work pay, (iv) to promote job retention and re-entry to work, (v) to provide co-ordinated and seamless supports and (vi) to engage employers.
Implementation of the Strategy is undertaken through agreed action plans and is monitored by an Implementation Group with an independent chairperson, Mr Fergus Finlay. Currently the group is monitoring the CES Phase Two Action Plan which covers the period 2019 – 2021. Development of a final Action Plan for the period 2022 – 2024 is presently taking place. It will work to support persons with disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired, to enter into, return to and remain in work, should they wish to do so.
It is important that the public sector should provide more employment opportunities for people with disabilities, including those with visual impairments. In that regard, the forthcoming Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill will double the percentage of persons with a disability, including those with visual impairments, in public sector employment from 3% to 6%. Drafting will begin shortly on that Bill.
