Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 322: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to new practices of a State funded disability employment service (details supplied) whereby job coaches are no longer allowed to visit clients in their homes; his views on whether it is unreasonable and discriminatory to expect clients to come to the inaccessible offices of this service; if such a change in policy is contrary to the principles of the employment sectoral plan of his Department under the Disability Act 2005; and if he will take steps to ensure that this policy is reversed. [40293/06]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The project referred to by the Deputy is a voluntary agency administering a project aimed at assisting adults with disabilities access employment. The project is funded by FÁS as a sponsor organisation under the FÁS Supported Employment Programme for people with disabilities, and is based in Ballymun, Dublin. The FÁS Supported Employment Programme is an open labour market initiative that provides supports to disabled people, who traditionally have had difficulty getting into paid employment.

The service provided by the project is to assist 'job ready' clients integrate back into the workplace. To qualify for the Supported Employment Programme, clients must be ready to take up work in the open labour market. This, therefore, would not necessitate job coaches making home visits and it has never been the practice to do so. Clients meet with job coaches in the Ballymun Centre, and from time-to-time in alternative locations around the city. There has been no change in policy in this regard.

As this is a sponsor organization contracted by FÁS under the Supported Employment Programme to provide services to people with disabilities, FÁS would like to be informed of any difficulties with regard to the accessibility of its offices to clients for this service.