John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 5:

In page 13, between line 10 and 11, to insert the following:

10.—Section 16 of the Act of 1998 is amended by inserting the following subsection:

'(7) Nothing in this section shall operate to discharge an employer from his or her obligations to provide full and equal access of employment to persons with disability.'.".

This amendment inserts a new subsection in section 16 of the Employment Equality Act 1998, section 9 of which goes some distance towards relieving employers from their duty to adapt their premises for disabled people. The section goes too far in this regard and the amendment proposes to ensure that section 16 of the 1998 Act cannot be used to justify inaction by employers. It is essential that employers' premises and other public buildings and premises be adapted to facilitate people who have disabilities.