Mr. Desmond Kenny:

With contraction of employment in the public service, the 3% quota is nearly being met. That is not due to expansion of opportunity or people entering it. Visually-impaired people had a designated form of employment in the public service from the mid-1950s in the role of blind telephonists. All members in their public service life in local authorities and what not will have encountered visually-impaired people on switchboards. That designation is now gone. Due to the need to reduce numbers in the public service, telephone systems have become automated. NCBI currently supplies telephonists within the public service but this is shrinking as a designated form of employment which we regret.

Employment generally in the public service by way of opportunity has not been expanded. The telephonist 1 grade gave an access grade that allowed people graduate and there was an entry grade of computer programmer but these are disappearing. The number of manual or manipulative types of jobs that visually-impaired people can do, such as making baskets or working in workshops or on assembly lines, have disappeared. It was seen as not providing enough in earnings but when it was taken away, there was nothing left. The problem is to have the dignity of work with a decent wage and being allowed to make a contribution to society. There is a crisis around employment for visually-impaired people.

We have made representations several times to the Minister for Social Protection on behalf of people with a visual impairment who are on a blind pension but who cannot get on the JobBridge scheme while those on a disability allowance can.