Tony Kett (Fianna Fail)

I agree with the general thrust of Senator Terry's comments because this is an area that is very important to people with disabilities. We are back to disability proofing and thinking disability. Those who employ or do not employ people with disabilities, particularly in the Civil Service, should be forced to think more deeply about the abilities of people with disabilities. On Second Stage Senator Ryan spoke about someone who he would not originally have taken on for a certain position. Senator Ryan was unable to attend the person's interview and the person was taken on and turned out to be, in the Senator's words, exemplary. We are again talking about people's attitudes and how a person with a disability can be regarded as incapable of doing a job because of his or her disability. Modern technology allows people with disabilities to do a far greater range of work than they could do before. They can be a great asset to a work environment.

We must look at the jobs we give to people with disabilities because too many of them work in meaningless jobs. We need to consider them for meaningful jobs; jobs that provide job satisfaction and allow people with disabilities to feel good about themselves. Feeling good about oneself is vital. A statistic was cited some time ago in this House to the effect that 80% of families headed by an individual with a disability live in poverty. This statistic bears out the fact that people with disabilities who are employed are working in jobs that are of less status than those that would have been available to them if they were able-bodied.

We must educate people charged with the responsibility of deciding whether to employ people about the abilities of people with disabilities. They must be educated themselves. I said on Second Stage that it would do no harm if people charged with these responsibilities were to go out into the disabled sector and find out what is available to them. Senator Quinn is a shining light in terms of the employment sector. He has committed himself to employing people with disabilities over the years and should be commended for that.

I generally agree with the thrust of Senator Terry's contribution but I would like to see all public sector agencies reaching the 3% quota. I know that I previously asked whether these agencies were all living up to their 3% quota and was told that they were there or thereabouts. I am not so sure what the situation is at the moment but if they are not reaching the quota, they should be brought into line.