Conway welcomes progress in employing people with disabilities

Fine Gael Clare Senator and Seanad Spokesperson on Disability, Martin Conway, has welcomed the news that a key objective of the recently published National Disability Strategy Implementation Plan concerns the drafting of a comprehensive employment strategy for people with disabilities.

“I am delighted that this comprehensive employment strategy is included in the Plan. The employment strategy due to be published in 2014 will be drafted by the NDA and Mr Christy Lynch in collaboration with the Departments of Social Protection; Health; Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; and Education and Skills.

“This strategy builds on the progress already made in the employment of persons with disabilities. The most recent report of the NDA, published in 2012, showed that for the first time, the proportion of staff with disabilities across the public service as a whole reached 3.1%.

“In Clare, the figure for employment of people with disabilities in public bodies stands at close to 5%, and was among the ten highest in Ireland with 41 of the 839 staff at Clare County Council and four Town Councils in Ennis, Shannon, Kilrush and Kilkee, registered as having a disability in 2011.

“I have no doubt that this strategy will identify ways to further enhance the opportunities for persons with disabilities and reflects the Government’s ongoing commitment to increase employment for people with disabilities.”