Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 May 2017
112. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the implementation of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities 2015-2024; the cost of implementation to date in 2017; and the anticipated cost each year for the duration of the programme. [20928/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities, which was launched on Friday 2 October 2015, sets out a ten-year approach to ensuring that people with disabilities who are able to, and want to, work are supported and enabled to do so. People with disabilities are only half as likely to be in employment as others of working age. The reasons for this are complex, and include level of education and skills, fears around loss of benefits, employer know-how, low expectations, and limited re-entry to work following onset of a disability, as well as a higher incidence of ill-health.
The Strategy is a cross-government approach that brings together actions by different Departments and State agencies in a concerted effort to address the barriers and challenges that impact on employment of people with disabilities. In tandem with that, it seeks to ensure there will be joined-up services and supports at local level to support individuals on their journey into and in employment.
The Strategy's six strategic priorities are to:
- Build skills, capacity and independence;
- Provide bridges and supports into work;
- Make work pay;
- Promote job retention and re-entry to work;
- Provide co-ordinated and seamless support;
- Engage employers.
The Strategy is monitored and overseen by the Comprehensive Employment Strategy Implementation Group under an independent chair. To date, the Group has met on eight occasions in order to review progress, prioritise areas of work and ensure that the 2015 - 2017 Action Plan is being implemented. The Chair of the Group recently published his first annual report, and this is available at www.justice.ie. The key issue in relation to the implementation of the Strategy is the co-ordination of departmental efforts in this area, and therefore, while individual actions in the Strategy may have additional cost implications which will require to be included in the Votes of the relevant Departments, taken as a whole, the focus in the Strategy is on better co-ordination and use of existing resources, rather than on additional funding allocations.
