David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 77: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on a survey (details supplied) which showed that 70% of people with disabilities who were surveyed replied that they had problems regarding accessing employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47453/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The survey results in question are consistent with Census findings which indicate that employment participation by those with a disability, who do not express a difficulty about working, remains significantly lower than for their non-disabled peers.

In regard to accessing employment in the open labour market, all FÁS Services are open to people with disabilities, and FÁS encourage people with disabilities to register with them in order to access such employment.

In addition, FÁS provides a comprehensive menu of employment supports and schemes to enable people with disabilities to enter the open labour market, and these are complemented by both specialist and mainline vocational training provision.

Under the Programme for Government "A Blueprint for Ireland's Future 2007-2012" my Department is committed to putting in place a comprehensive employment strategy for people with disabilities to help them to work in all sectors. This strategy is a key component of the Sectoral Plan for my Department, which was published in 2006 pursuant to the Disability Act 2005.

An outline of how a Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities is being implemented has been developed by my Department, and has received a positive response from the Consultative Forum on an Employment Strategy that has been established under the Sectoral Plan.

A key focus of the strategy is on effecting the optimal changes to existing programmes, schemes and services, in particular with regard to the Supported Employment Programme and the Wage Subsidy Scheme. The overall objective of the strategy is to enhance the operation and effectiveness of the range of FÁS supports and services for facilitating increased participation of people with disabilities in the labour market.