Limerick East): The pilot programme for the employment of people with disabilities commenced in late 1994. The programme provides an ongoing subsidy in respect of disabled people and once-off employment grants in respect of able bodied people. There are 143 people with disabilities and 45 able bodied persons are currently employed in seven enterprises — six by Gandon Enterprises and one by the Special Equestrian Training Centre. It is expected that the numbers employed under the programme will increase further in 1996. The 1996 budget for the programme is £1.75 million.
The programme, which is administered and monitoried by the National Rehabilitation Board, is currently in the final year of the pilot phase. As with any pilot programme, it is appropriate that it should be reviewed before its continued operation. Accordingly, I will establish such a review shortly which will be completed before the end of 1996. Initial reports on the operation of the pilot programme are favourable both as regards employment targets and in terms of providing meaningful jobs to people with disabilities in an integrated setting. While I cannot pre-empt the review process, I would expect that the programme will be continued after its pilot phase.
