Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like others, I echo the sentiments in respect of our new President-elect in the United States. RTÉ definitely did excel in its coverage of the event, not just on election day, with its montage and so on, but in the run-up to it, particularly the "States of Mind" podcast with Jackie Fox and Brian O'Donovan. It certainly gave a very light-hearted but yet very informative appraisal in the run-up to the election.

I agree with the sentiments that have been expressed by others here in terms of the equality of pay day that took place yesterday. I also think however, that there is a big issue, and that is equal opportunities to employment for people with disabilities.Unfortunately, approximately 86% of persons with disabilities find it difficult to get employment, which is much worse than the European average. I would appreciate a debate in early course on employment opportunities for people with disabilities because when we move out of this pandemic, and hopefully with a vaccine we will be post-Covid in 2021, I want to see a different approach to employment opportunities and the creation of employment. Although the targets for employing people with disabilities in the Civil Service are commendable and very welcome and, to a large extent, have been achieved, the same does not happen in the private sector for two reasons. First, because people with disabilities do not have the opportunity to take up such employment and, second, employers do not have the necessary supports to put the right environment in place for people with disabilities to work within their structures. The Government needs to look at providing financial support to employers to allow them to give people with disabilities the opportunity to work. When the pitch is level and the structures and supports are in place, people with disabilities are as capable as their able-bodied colleagues of doing the job.