On 5 July, the graduation ceremony for the 2022-2023 Oireachtas Work Learning (OWL) programme participants in Leinster House saw the Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD, present ten graduates with their certificates.
The OWL programme is an applied learning, development and socialisation programme for young adults with an intellectual disability and the Houses of the Oireachtas is the first parliament in the world to host an initiative of this kind.
The Ceann Comhairle pictured at the 2023 OWL programme graduation ceremony with the graduates
The 2022-2023 programme graduates are Amy Landers, Barry Higgins, Fionán Malone, Jordan Caffrey, Kirby Hogan, Laura Dempsey, Liam Cronin, Mark Buckley, Stephen O'Connell and Thomas Gartlan. During their placements, the programme participants gained experience across the Houses of the Oireachtas Service; the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
Along with the new graduates, the graduation ceremony was attended by the participants' families, members from the parliamentary community, the OWL programme partners and staff from sections where trainees were placed and current employing Departments.
The OWL graduates pictured with staff involved with the Houses of the Oireachtas OWL programme
The graduates competed in a confined competition with the Public Appointments Service in June and all have been successfully placed on panels for clerical officer, service officer and catering assistant roles.
Since the first iteration of the OWL programme in 2018, 60% of its graduates have been employed across seven Departments and offices, including the Public Appointments Service; the Office of Government Procurement; the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment; the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; the Department of Social Protection; the National Shared Services Office; and the Houses of the Oireachtas Service. Another 20% are employed in the private sector, with 20% also engaged in further education and training.