Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 62: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps or programmes being put in place to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to employment opportunities in the current economic conditions. [35385/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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All FÁS services are open to people with disabilities. FÁS provides vocational training for the unemployed and new entrants to the labour market through specific skills training and traineeships. FÁS also provides training for those in employment through apprenticeships and in-company training. A person with a disability may call into a FÁS Employment Service Office for information, advice and guidance in relation to vocational training and employment. People with disabilities may be supported while in employment by FÁS through the following programmes:

· The Wage Subsidy Scheme provides financial incentives to employers, outside the public sector, to employ people with disabilities who work more than 20 hours per week. The subsidies are structured under three strands and the employer can benefit from one, or all, simultaneously. As a positive action for apprentices with disabilities, a total of twenty places is available on a national basis this year under the Wage Subsidy Scheme.

· The Supported Employment Programme is an open labour market initiative providing people with disabilities with supports to help them access the open labour market. It is implemented by sponsor organisations on behalf of FÁS who employ job coaches to provide a range of supports tailored to the individual needs of a job seeker. The ultimate outcome is that the employee becomes independent of job coach support.

· FÁS operates a series of private sector employment supports under its reasonable accommodation fund to assist people with disabilities to access and progress in employment. It also provides supports for employers and job seekers. Programmes under these headings include:

o Workplace Equipment Adaptation Grant

o Job Interview/Personal Reader Grant

o Employee Retention Grant

o Disability Awareness Training Grant Scheme

o Technical Employment Support Grant

Further details on the above programmes and supports are available on the FÁS website www.fas.ie. In addition to the above-mentioned programmes and supports, people with disabilities may also avail of work experience and training under the FÁS Community Employment (CE) Programme. Approximately 25% of the participants on CE are people with disabilities.

Over the past number of months my Department has led on the advancement of an outline for a comprehensive employment strategy for people with disabilities in consultation with key stakeholder representatives on the Department's Consultative Forum. The aim of this strategy, which meets a commitment under the Department's Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act, 2005, is to address the diversity of circumstances, needs and abilities of people with disabilities, and to work towards achieving the highest possible levels of employment for them. In order to facilitate further partnership between Government Departments and agencies, my Department, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Children, has recently established a Cross Sectoral Group to further advance the completion of the comprehensive strategy for people with disabilities.