Extensive research relating to the employment of people with disabilities has been conducted by my Department, and FÁS, with a view to gathering information as part of the Department's commitments under the Disability Act, 2005. A review of the operation of the Wage Subsidy Scheme and a study on acquired disability and employment have been carried out on behalf of my Department. A survey of private sector employers' attitudes to recruiting people with disabilities, and their level of awareness of FÁS grants for the adaptation, recruitment, and retention of people with disabilities has been carried out on behalf of FÁS. A review of the effectiveness of the Supported Employment Programme in the context of current operating standards has also been carried out on behalf of FÁS.
A study of the efficiency and effectiveness of vocational training and rehabilitative training services for people with disabilities provided by Specialist Training Providers has been carried out on behalf of my Department and FÁS, and the Department of Health and Children. In the context of the implementation by my Department of a comprehensive employment strategy for people with disabilities the actioning of the findings and recommendations contained in these reports is expected to improve future training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. A draft outline of the implementation of a comprehensive employment strategy for people with disabilities has been developed by my Department, and has recently been discussed with the Consultative Forum on an Employment Strategy for people with disabilities that has been established under the Department's Sectoral Plan. A key focus of the strategy is on effecting the optimal changes to existing programmes, schemes and services, in particular with regard to the Supported Employment Programme and the Wage Subsidy Scheme.
The overall objective of the implementation of such a comprehensive employment strategy is to enhance the operation and effectiveness of the range of FÁS supports and services for facilitating increased participation of people with disabilities in the labour market in the context of the employment target set by the Sectoral Plan. The Plan provides for an increase by 7,000 in the employment of people with disabilities capable of holding a job by 2010. The Sectoral Plan will be reviewed in 2009. A proposal to implement an access and learning support service in FÁS mainline training centres has been developed, and the appointment of an access officer to coordinate these services is under active consideration by FÁS.