Harris thanks his ‘shadow’ Conor for all his help on Job Shadow Day

Fine Gael Wicklow/East Carlow TD Simon Harris has extended his thanks to Conor Coffey for all his assistance throughout today in the Dáil while ‘shadowing’ the Fine Gael TD.

Job Shadow Day is a national project bringing people with disabilities and local employers together for one day to promote equal employment opportunities and highlight the valuable contribution people with disabilities can, and do, make at work.

Participants explore the world of work by ‘shadowing’ someone in the workplace as they go about their normal working routine. Simon’s participant, Conor, who is from Dublin, ‘shadowed’ the Fine Gael TD as he went about his daily business in the Dáil.

Speaking afterwards, Simon said: ‘Conor was a fantastic asset to me today. He attended the Finance Committee with me this morning, observed the Dáil where I spoke on the Irish Human Rights and Equality Bill, came with me to a Youth Work Ireland briefing, before paying a visit to the Taoiseach in Government Buildings’.

“Job Shadow Day is a vital event but it should not be a once-off.   Too often employers and politicians second-guess those with disabilities. As Job Shadow Day proves, people with disabilities can, and do, make a valuable contribution in a variety of professions and to the economy at large.

“It is essential that we put in place a supported employment strategy for people with disabilities in this country. We need to begin a ‘new conversation’ with people with disabilities and recognise the contributions that they can make and want to make. To do anything less would be economically naive and unacceptable from a societal point of view.”

ENDS