Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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141. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action he is taking to assist those who are blind or visually impaired to gain employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56405/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Government is committed to improving the employment opportunities for all people with disabilities. There is a dedicated cross-government strategy, the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities (CES), to address these barriers and to drive progress in this area.

There are six strategic priorities in the CES (i) to build skills, capacity and independence, (ii) to provide bridges and supports into work, (iii) to make work pay, (iv) to promote job retention and re-entry to work, (v) to provide co-ordinated and seamless supports and (vi) to engage employers.

Implementation of the Strategy is undertaken through agreed action plans and is monitored by an Implementation Group with an independent chairperson, Mr Fergus Finlay. Currently the group is monitoring the CES Phase Two Action Plan which covers the period 2019 – 2021. Development of a final Action Plan for the period 2022 – 2024 is presently taking place. It will work to support persons with disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired, to enter into, return to and remain in work, should they wish to do so.

It is important that the public sector should provide more employment opportunities for people with disabilities, including those with visual impairments. In that regard, the forthcoming Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill will double the percentage of persons with a disability, including those with visual impairments, in public sector employment from 3% to 6%. Drafting will begin shortly on that Bill.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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142. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will include sight loss specific information in the information campaign of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy to help demystify the assumptions regarding a person’s ability and capacity and take guidance from an organisation (details supplied) on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56406/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Under the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities 2015-2024 (CES), a cross-government strategy to address the barriers and challenges to employment for people with disabilities, a public awareness campaign has been planned to raise awareness among employers of the benefits of employing people with disabilities.

This campaign had been due to take place in the second Action Phase of the strategy but was paused due to the pandemic. Consideration on how to develop the campaign for 2022, and what its specific focus should be, is ongoing. In that context I note the Deputy's comments and have instructed my officials to consider them also.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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143. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it is intended to bring forward regulations to ensure that there is proactive engagement by all employers with an organisation (details supplied) to ensure all aspects of their recruitment processes are accessible from applying online to conducting aptitude tests to interview procedures, as is recommended in a report by the organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56410/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Employment Equality Acts prohibit discrimination, including in relation to disability, and require organisations to make reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities in employment. I have launched a review of the equality legislation, which will be completed next year. The review will consider whether or not the equality legislation is effectively promoting equality and combating discrimination, including in relation to access for people with disabilities to employment. It will also consider whether or not legislative change is needed in this regard.

In terms of public sector recruitment, in particular, Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 sets out the legal obligations of public service bodies:-

- To promote and support the employment of people with disabilities

- To meet a target of 3% of employees with disabilities

- To report every year on achievement of these obligations

The Government has committed to doubling the target for employment of people with disabilities in the public service from 3% to 6%. This will be done by means of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill, drafting of which will shortly begin.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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144. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action being taken by his Department to encourage companies to employ persons with blindness or visual impairment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56411/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities 2015-2024 (CES) is the primary disability employment policy initiative in Ireland. It contains six strategic priorities, including the provision of bridges and supports into work, making work pay, promoting job retention and re-entry to work, and engaging employers, all of which aim to support and encourage companies to employ people with disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired.

The CES is implemented through agreed action plans and it is monitored by an Implementation Group with an independent chairperson, Mr Fergus Finlay. Currently the group is monitoring the CES Phase Two Action Plan which covers the period 2019 – 2021.

Key areas of recent progress under the CES to progress equal employment for persons with disabilities, including those with blindness or visual impairment, involve the production of an online training programme to support employers in becoming “disability confident" and of a Guide to Promoting Inclusive Employment, the latter by the Public Appointment Service, and the funding and establishment of a disability information service for employers . This service, ‘Employers for Change: A Disability Information Service’, provides advice and information on employing staff with disabilities, with a view to enhancing the confidence and competence of individual employers to employ, manage and retain staff with disabilities.

An Action Plan for Phase Three of the CES covering the 2022-2024 period is currently being developed. Its focus will be on achieving implementation of the six strategic priorities and on encouraging companies to employ people with disabilities, including those with blindness or visual impairment.