Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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270. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the progress which has been made in the implementation of the comprehensive employment strategy; the funding that is required to fully implement the strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32066/17]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities 2015 - 2024 sets out a ten-year approach to ensuring that people with disabilities who are able to, and want to, work are supported and enabled to do so. The Strategy is a cross-government approach that brings together actions by different departments and state agencies in a concerted effort to address the barriers and challenges that impact on employment of people with disabilities. In tandem with that, it seeks to ensure there will be joined-up services and supports at local level to support individuals on their journey into and in employment.

The Strategy's six strategic priorities are:

- Build skills, capacity and independence

- Provide bridges and supports into work

- Promote job retention and re-entry to work

- Provide coordinated and seamless support

- Make Work Pay

- Engage employers

To support these priorities, an action plan was developed containing almost 70 key performance indicators, each of which is connected to a responsible department or public body, and a target date for completion. The Make Work Pay Report for People with Disabilities was launched on 7 April 2017 and more information on the recommendations contained in the Report are available at www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Make-Work-Pay.aspx

The Government has already taken a number of key decisions which were recommended in the Strategy, most significantly:

- The public service employment target of people with disabilities will be increased on a phased basis as set out in the Strategy from 3% to 6% over the life time of the Strategy. The Department of Justice and Equality has recently developed proposals in relation to how this can be achieved and work will get underway in very early course.

- Special public service competitions for people with disabilities will be arranged and alternative recruitment channels for people with disabilities will be opened up. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has a key role in relation to this, as does the Public Appointments Service.

- The establishment of a help line and website provide expert guidance and support to employers in relation to the employment of staff with disabilities. This service went live in March 2016.

The Strategy is monitored and overseen by the Comprehensive Employment Strategy Implementation Group under an independent chair, Mr. Fergus Finlay. Mr. Finlay's first annual report in relation to progress to date is available at www.justice.ie.

The key issue in relation to the implementation of the Strategy is the coordination of departmental efforts in this area, and therefore, while individual actions in the Strategy may have additional cost implications which will require to be included in the votes of the relevant departments, taken as a whole, the focus in the Strategy is on better coordination and use of existing resources, rather than on additional funding allocations.