Vol. 451 No. 8
19 Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the proposals, if any, he has to promote and encourage the provision of sustainable employment for people with disabilities; and the obstacles he has identified which restrict and inhibit people with disabilities in their search for jobs. [7637/95]
26 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the action, if any, he intends to take to improve the situation of people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7554/95]
32 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform if he intends to extend the 3 per cent quota of disabled people working in the Civil Service; and if he will apply the quota across the public sector generally. [7634/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 19, 26 and 32 together.
The creation of the Department of Equality and Law Reform clearly demonstrates the Government's determination to secure greater equality in Irish society including equality of treatment for people with disabilities.
In 1993, I established the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities with the task, inter alia, of ensuring greater participation by people with disabilities in all aspects of life including employment, and to make recommendations setting out necessary changes in legislation, policies, practices and structures to help achieve that objective. The commission has undertaken a comprehensive review of the situation, including extensive consultations with people with disabilities, their parents and carers, as well as other relevant interests. It also established a work and training group for the specific purpose of bringing forward proposals in the area of training and employment needs of people with disabilities.
Pending receipt and consideration of the report, I do not intend to present proposals to Government regarding the 3 per cent quota for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service. However, I am concerned that the quota in the wider public sector is brought up to 3 per cent and I am currently consulting with my Government colleagues for the purpose of agreeing further initiatives aimed at achieving this objective.
As indicated in the programme, A Government of Renewal, the Government regards the work of the Commission as fundamentally important. The Government will take specific action to end discrimination and to ensure equal opportunity for participation by all citizens in Irish life. In this regard, when the Commission has reported, the Government will consider a disabilities Act to set out rights of persons with a disability.
In the employment area, I am bringing forward legislation to extend legal redress against discrimination over a wide range of grounds, including disability. This initiative will be paralleled by equal status legislation, aimed at countering discrimination in the provision of goods and services.
The Commission is expected to present its report at the end of the year. On receipt of the report, I will examine its recommendations with a view to considering what additional measures may be required, by me or by my colleagues in Government, to improve the employment prospects and the general welfare of people with disabilities.
In 1994 the Government provided £2 million for a pilot programme for supported employment of people with disabilities in viable business projects. The programme is being administered by the Department of Health with the assistance of the Department of Enterprise and Employment. The pilot programme is being continued in 1995. My Department is actively involved in planning the expenditure in relation to the continuation of the programme. My Department is represented on the Programme for Competitiveness and Work monitoring committee for the employment of people with disabilities. The programme provides that the monitoring committee will promote and review progress in the employment of people with disabilities in the public and private sectors, with a view to increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities in the private sector in particular.
Is the Minister aware that people with disabilities are facing a real crisis exemplified by the fact that almost 85 per cent of those in wheelchairs are currently unemployed and that percentage applies across the spectrum of people with disabilities? Will the Minister deal with it now as the Government may not last as long as it takes to complete surveys and studies? We know the equality legislation will not be ready until the end of the year so that takes us well into next year. Many suggestions have been made such as disability proofing various measures taken by Government. We have undertaken gender proofing of measures so why not disability proof these measures when the Government is giving out substantial grants for job creation or when new schemes are being introduced in the public service?
Deputy Woods knows things are being done. The Government provided £2 million in 1994 for the pilot programme for supported employment of people with disabilities in viable business projects. The ongoing nature of that will be carefully examined. Work is ongoing on the Programme for Competitiveness and Work monitoring committee. The preparation of anti-discrimination legislation dealing with the employment of people with disabilities is very well advanced and should be published this year.
The very important detailed work of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities is coming to an end and a report should be available by the end of this year. I anticipate there will be specific suggestions on employment that will be of long standing benefit to people with disabilities. The Government has achieved its target regarding the 3 per cent quota for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service. I am in consultation with my ministerial colleagues regarding new initiatives to improve the numbers of people employed in the wider public service. Initiatives have been taken and will continue to be taken.
I made two specific suggestions, first that all proposals be disability proofed before grants for employment in the private sector are allocated and the same should apply to the public sector when new developments take place. The Minister should not rest on his laurels now that the 3 per cent quota for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service has been reached as we know it is not 3 per cent in the wider public sector and the percentage should have been increased by this stage. A great deal could be said about this. I tabled questions on it but they were referred to the Minister for Finance. It is very hard to know to whom to table questions these days. A question similar to the one I tabled has come up today but it is addressed to the Minister for Equality and Law Reform. Perhaps whoever was fiddling with the questions has stopped and it will settle down to something more logical.
I do not think so.
The Government is considering the terms for naturalisation and the loans and developments that are considered in cases of naturalisation. When setting out the conditions and clauses for granting naturalisation why not consider disability proofing them as well?
It would be like the Masri passports.
Yes, they lead to passports but why not disability proof them?
I would be very happy to consider the feasibility of the Deputy's suggestions. I assure him and the House that I am not sitting on my laurels regarding the attainment of the 3 per cent quota in the Civil Service. The decision to allocate a quota of 3 per cent of Civil Service jobs to those with disabilities was taken by a Government in 1977 and successive Governments including those in which Dr. Woods served, failed to achieve that target which was finally achieved when I was Minister for Equality and Law Reform. It is not appropriate to suggest that I am sitting on my laurels as the target was not attained until now.
I agree absolutely with Deputy Wood's suggestion of disability proofing. I do not see why we cannot have a system of disability proofing. On the question of inclusiveness for those with disabilities in employment, is it true that our Government has refused to allocate 65 per cent of the Horizon employment programme to those suffering from disability, as has been recommended by the EU and that Ireland, France and Greece are the only countries which have refused to do this? What percentage of the programme will be directed towards those suffering from disability?
I suggest that the Deputy tables a question on that point and the appropriate Minister will answer it.
I am glad the Minister said that because I tabled a specific question which was redirected to the Minister for Enterprise and Employment. What responsibility does the Minister have for those with disability? It is not good enough to have a commission on disability and to put issues on the long finger. If we have a programme which can be used the Government should take responsibility for it. I am delighted the Minister made that point because the question was redirected as were four other questions dealing with disability, which he should have taken on board.
