Tony Kett (Fianna Fail)

I am not sure how I feel about quotas. As was stated on Committee Stage, if one sets a quota Departments might sit on their hands when they reach it and do nothing else. I would rather change mindsets before changing quotas. However, I take the point that one could consider changing them.

Given the changes that will result from this legislation, more and more people will be able to gain access to employment, be it through changes to the working environment or otherwise. It may be that quotas will go through the roof as a result, provided that the right types of disabled people are coming on stream looking for jobs.

Do the quotas that will be specified fall under the new or old definition of disability? The Minister of State will answer this. Under the new definition, the quotas may not stand up.

On employing people with disability, I hope that when the new regime commences, people with disability will get meaningful jobs rather than jobs created for the sake of creating them. I said this last week. Senator O'Meara referred to a report that stated people with disability are twice as likely to be poverty-stricken as able-bodied people. It is probably even more likely when a disabled person is head of a household. Given that we have so much modern technology enabling and assisting people with disabilities, they will find themselves in more meaningful jobs, thus affording them a greater sense of self-worth and all this brings with it.

Parents need to be realistic about the abilities of their adult children who are presenting themselves for jobs. I have noted parents who overstate the ability of their children. If this occurs and the applicant does not get the job for which he or she applies, it can be very hurtful. It can be demeaning in that he or she will deem himself or herself a failure. Parents need to be careful that they do not set out their child's stall to such an extent that they over-value their ability when applying for a job. One should bear in mind that not all technology will assist such applicants to the extent that it will assist them in years to come, be their disabilities associated with hand movement or otherwise. Heartache can be caused for a young adult seeking employment in this regard. A balance should be struck.