Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to speak about the comprehensive employment strategy for the employment of people with disabilities, which is a ten-year approach to ensure that people with disabilities, who are able to and want to work, are supported and enabled to do so. It is a cross-Government approach led by the Department of Justice and Equality and is based on five strategic priorities: building skills and independence; providing bridges and supports into work; promoting job retention; providing co-ordinated and seamless support; and engaging employers. However, the problem is it has no funding or action plan.

What the strategy proposes and what is actually happening are two different things. Without implementation of this strategy and adequate resources, nothing will change. Last week in the Leinster House AV Room, two young ladies told their stories of how the innovative WALK PEER programme has changed their lives and given them hope of leading contributing lives in mainstream careers, rather than lives in expensive services. The WALK PEER programme works on bridging the gap and providing equal employment routes for people with disabilities. The WALK PEER programme is funded until the end of 2016 but the uncertainty about its future only leads to additional stress and anxiety for the participants and their families. The stress of stop-start projects needs to be addressed.

I ask all Members of the House to support a call for dedicated funding in the budget for 2017 for the implementation of the CES through longer-term funding for innovative projects such as WALK PEER so that the learning can be captured as the strategy is developed. I also ask the Deputy Leader to ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to commit to dedicating resources to the implementation of the comprehensive employment strategy for the employment of people with disabilities now and to funding some current innovative projects. Alternatively, do we have to wait until after the ten years is up before we take some action to reverse the plight of people with disabilities being systematically transitioned from school into expensive Department of Health-funded programmes without the chance of testing their abilities in the mainstream to further education, training and employment?

I wish the Cathaoirleach a happy birthday.