Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being late. I got caught in traffic. A few things jumped out to me. I chaired the Joint Committee on Autism and we did work with Trinity College Dublin, which provided courses for young people with intellectual disabilities and autism and had a project where work experience was provided with the possibility of full-time employment after that, with about 30 companies. I am working on it and we now have universities providing specific courses. Ultimately, I want to get to a situation where we have companies that provide opportunities for people, first to get experience and ultimately job opportunities for people on an equal basis, whatever disability that person may have, with the proper supports in place in those companies to support people in their employment.

The point was made that we are moving in the right direction from the situation ten years ago. However, what direction do we need to take for the future? What improvements do we need to make as a State? We met a lot of organisations, such as EmployAbility, about supports and so on. We found that the supports put in place by the Department are under-utilised by companies that could get financial support to support a person in employment. Where are we in those percentages now? Do we need to do a programme to promote what supports are available?

We have a fantastic programme here in Leinster House. The Oireachtas work learning, OWL, programme gives opportunities and has led to full-time employment in the Civil Service for almost everyone who has taken part in it. It is a case of every Government Department and organisation needing to lead from the top. This is where changes are made. We have started that. Every Government Department, like society in general, needs to have a better understanding of the difficulties people have, regardless whatever disability they have. What do we need to do?