Address by Minister for Labour Affairs Mr. Tony Killeen at the “GET AHEAD START” Conference & Workshop

Government Supports

State assistance is available through FÁS to private sector employers. Its purpose is to abate costs incurred in recruiting and employing people with disabilities, including graduates. For graduates who do progress into the employment market, FÁS has in place a range of supports to assist disabled people in attaining employment.

As an example of incentives available to employers, I would instance the Wage Subsidy Scheme that was introduced in September, 2005. One of its provisions entitles an employer who recruits a person with a disability to a yearly grant to a maximum of €9,500 for an indefinite period. There are a host of other incentives, through schemes administered on behalf of my Department by FAS, and supports available to employers – particularly those who have not yet had experience of the abilities and potential contribution of such workers.

Such grant / incentives are generous. However, I am disappointed at the limited extent to which they are being taken up by private sector employers. As a consequence, potential employment opportunities are denied to those with disabilities who are able and willing to work.

The positive experience of those employers that have progressive recruitment policies in this respect, as well as the lead that has been given by the public sector, through its openness to recruit persons with disabilities should be should be good examples that address uninformed fears or reservations of employers that continue to stand on the sidelines.

I would like to appeal to employers who are recruiting to have fuller regard to the very positive commercial and societal consequences that can accrue through engaging applicants that have disabilities.

While not all employers or graduates with disabilities will require these supports, it is important to know they are available and used as required.

Many graduates with disabilities, in addition to having the relevant qualifications, have overcome significant barriers in successfully completing their studies. This is indicative of their motivation, flexibility, and creativity – strengths they also bring to the workplace

Accordingly, I would like to commend GET AHEAD’s focus in promoting awareness among employers of the employability of people with disabilities, including by highlighting the experiences of graduates at work, or seeking jobs.

National Disability Strategy

Previous conferences dealt with access - access to transport, to the built environment and to recreational facilities

Significant legislation was enacted last year to ensure that problems encountered by people with disabilities are, and will continue to be, addressed. The motivation that underlies the 2005 Disability Act is a determination on the part of this Government that all that can be done is being done to ensure that people with disabilities can, to the fullest extent, realise their personal and vocational potential.

The National Disability Strategy reinforces and supports the participation of people with disabilities in society. It builds on existing policy and legislation and has been endorsed in the new social partnership agreement - Towards 2016. Under it, the National Disability Strategy is the agreed template for developing disability policy. Its key elements are the Disability Act 2005, the Citizens Information Bill 2006, the multi-annual investment programme and the sectoral plans for service delivery advanced by six Departments, these were put before the Houses of the Oireachtas last July.

Additionally, since December 2005, all public bodies, must meet a number of legal requirements, including:

• they must ensure that the provision of access to their services by people with or without disabilities is integrated;
• they must ensure that services and goods they are supplied with are accessible to people with disabilities;
• they must ensure that communications with people with disabilities are provided in an accessible format;
• they must make their buildings accessible to people with disabilities by 31 December 2015 at the latest.

The Sectoral Plan of the Department of Transport addresses the accessibility needs of people with disabilities by putting in place a comprehensive programme to provide accessible transport across the transport modes. The Sectoral Plan of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government includes initiatives in respect of the Building and Planning Code, Heritage Sites and the National Parks.

The Sectoral Plan of my own Department contains a number of key initiatives to promote equal opportunities for disabled people in the employment market. These include the development of a Comprehensive Employment Strategy to enhance the effectiveness of employment and vocational training programmes for disabled people, and ensuring that necessary and effective supports to advance employment prospects for disabled people are in place. The Plan represents a step forward in working to improve access to employment and a comprehensive outline of this Department’s commitment in that regard.

Concluding Remarks

We appreciate that while we have made progress to increase the numbers of disabled people in employment there still remains a lot to be done. My Department will continue to work with agencies including other government departments FÁS and disabled people themselves to improve the employment and vocational training prospects. However, your own voice is central and you should continue to make a compelling case in promoting the skills and abilities you can bring to the workplace.

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