Transcript Sectoral Plan of DETE

IASE National Conference
Towards a Comprehensive Employment
Strategy for People with Disabilities
Dermot Mulligan
Head of Labour Force Development Division,
Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment
8th November, 2007
Towards a Comprehensive Employment Strategy
Introduction
Towards a Comprehensive Employment Strategy
DETE Sectoral Plan for people with disabilities launched in July, 2006 under Disability Act, 2005
and the National Disability Strategy (NDS)
• NDS involves:
– Six Departmental Sectoral Plans
– Multi – annual funding investment
– Legislation to establish personal advocacy
services for pwds
Key Components of DETE Sectoral Plan
• Developing a Comprehensive Employment
Strategy for PWDs in co-operation with other
Government Departments and Agencies
• Advancing the mainstreaming agenda across the
organisation and its agencies
Comprehensive Employment Strategy
Key targets under the Comprehensive Employment
Strategy:
• Increase the employment rate for PwDs from 37% to 45%
by 2016
•
Increase the participation of people with disabilities in
work, training and education to 50% by 2016
• Ensure availability of effective training and preparation for
employment – through FÁS vocational training strategy
Comprehensive Employment Strategy consultation
• Implementation of Strategy through consultation with key stakeholders
• Consultative Forum on the Employment Strategy for people with
Disabilities has been established – met four times
• Membership includes representatives from other Government
Departments, social partners, and National Disability Strategy
Stakeholder Monitoring Groups
• Provides a channel to provide views and discuss strategic
issues that will impact on the implementation of the Strategy.
Comprehensive Employment Strategy
Key Elements:
• Enhancing training and employment programmes
• Developing supports to open labour market employment
• Developing supports to promote employment retention
relating to acquired disabilities
Enhancing Training and Employment Programmes
• Implementation of FAS Strategy for vocational training –
included in DETE Sectoral Plan
- sets targets for all areas of training
- promotes choice and flexibility to meet different needs
• Specialist Training Providers to assist with mainline
training - 2,000 places – implementation of Indecon
recommendations underway
• Bridging between HSE and FAS - proposals by early 2008
Enhancing Training and Employment Programmes
• Community Employment programme – PwDs
over 4,500 places –
• Participation limit raised by one year for PwDs
• Roll-out of individual-specific Individual Learner
Plans underway
Developing Supports to Open Labour Market Employment
•
•
FAS Wage Subsidy Scheme
•
Offers financial subsidy to employers outside
the public sector to employ people with disabilities.
•
Eligible employees can benefit from the DSFA Back to
Work Allowance Scheme.
•
Budget is € 10.5 million - 1,100 current participants.
•
Performance and effectiveness of WSS being reviewed
- report early 2008.
Supported Employment: 2,300 places - €8m – being
reviewed
Developing Job Retention Supports
• Job retention, following disability acquired during
working life identified as key issue by Consultative
Forum – 80% of disabilities acquired during working life
• Research has been commissioned to form basis for new
policies and programmes to address issue – report
in early 2008.
• Supportive workplace culture needs to be encouraged.
Advancing Mainstreaming agenda across DETE
and its agencies
• Disability Act, 2005 gives legal effect to
Government’s mainstreaming policy
• Mainstreaming requires every public body to
consider PWD, and disabilities issues as part of
core work
• Objective is about greater integration of services,
more choice and options to PWD
Advancing Mainstreaming agenda across DETE
and its agencies
• Mainstreaming being promoted across range
of DETE services including:
– Consumer Affairs - will work towards addressing
needs of vulnerable consumers
– Disability incorporated into Business Plans guidelines
for all Divisions in DETE
Towards a Comprehensive Employment Strategy
Summary & Conclusion
•Comprehensive Employment Strategy – key elements:
•Enhancing training and employment programmes
•Developing supports to open labour market
employment
•Developing employment retention supports
•Consultative Forum
•Advancing the mainstreaming agenda across the
organisation and its agencies
Thank you