Vol. 507 No. 1
66 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to improve the system and level of public funding for the vocational training for people with disabilities in the next European Social Fund operational programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16191/99]
The Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities recommended that responsibility for matters relating to the vocational training and employment of people with disabilities should be transferred to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Rehabilitative, prevocational training and work will remain the responsibility of my Department. This reconfiguration of institutional responsibilities for services for people with disabilities is at an advanced stage.
This proposed transfer recognises the right of people with disabilities to inclusion in mainstream training and employment services and considers that current expertise for training and employment creation is located in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The funding for each of these training programmes will be dealt with in the context of the national development plan and funding for those programmes remaining under the aegis of the Department of Health and Children has been taken into account in my Department's Estimates for 2000.
