Mr. David Joyce:

The passport scheme is an idea that originated in the UK and within the trade union movement there and we adopted it for use here. We are very pleased to agree a broad approach with IBEC on the scheme because we felt that it would be more powerful if we had the employers on board right from the start. Essentially, the passports are designed for people who require adjustments in order to carry out their work. They are a written record of the accommodations agreed between the person and his or her line manager. They allow time for employees to explain the kinds of changes or adjustments they might need in order to perform their roles efficiently and productively. The passport might also explain the barriers they encounter so everyone understands the reasons for them. Also, the passport might set out the terms for a review because, obviously, people's conditions change over time. The advantage of this is that the passport is an agreement between a person and his or her line manager, so if the line manager changes or the person's role changes, the latter has this passport that shows what has been negotiated and agreed with a previous line manager.

As for moving employments entirely, this is not a statutory scheme; it is just an agreement at workplace level. However, I think it would be really useful for people moving employments to have the records with them. Perhaps the employments to which they are to move have the scheme in place, but even if they do not, it is a really useful document to carry with them and shortens that conversation such that they can say, "I have a record here as to what is required and what was agreed at my last workplace, so can we talk about something similar here?" That is how the scheme works.

On the broader question about reasonable accommodation, I will hand over to Ms O'Connor.