David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----across the whole Department and the agencies that are under the aegis of the Department as well and in the employer and employee organisations with which we deal through the Department. If people do not know about them, how can they be expected to meet them? That is the first question.

Colleagues will have different areas on which to zero in. I want to zero in on two areas. First, on target 8.5 which aims to achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all men and women, including for young people and persons with disabilities. I want to talk about the persons with disabilities bit because I am particularly interested in this. Will Dr. Coates expand on this and tell us what has been done by the Department to achieve target 8.5, in particular in respect of people with disabilities? I am cognisant of the reasonable accommodation fund, the disability awareness support and the wage subsidy schemes, and the job interpreter and the workplace equipment adaptation grants and so on. Will he talk us through that a bit?

For instance, one thing came to my attention recently and it was quite curious. If somebody has a severe disability but they are able to work, they need personal assistant, PA, support in order to work. I am not sure whether the Department is actually involved in this but I put it to Dr. Coates that without PA support in the workplace, some people with disabilities, who are quite capable, will not be able to perform and function to the best of their abilities.

A further question linked to that is in the workplace and is about changing places and toilet facilities. This is something of which the witnesses may not be aware but which is very important for people with severe disabilities. Those are two issues that spring to mind straight away that are essential for somebody with severe disabilities who needs to be able to work, pay taxes, and take their place in society. Are they part of what we are talking about here in target 8.5? Will Dr. Coates expand a bit more on what the Department is doing for people in disabilities in particular?