Fás failing those with 'significant disabilities'

A Fás programme aimed at people with disabilities is failing people with "significant disabilities", a lobby group has claimed.

People with Disabilities in Ireland (PWDI) made the claim in a submission to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment which is drawing up a sectoral plan which will contribute to the national disability strategy.

The Fás National Supported Employment Programme helps people with disabilities who have had difficulty in getting into paid employment. Its guidelines state that it is open to all persons with a disability regardless of disability type. However, the group told the department that the programme is only helping those with the least significant disabilities who are almost ready to take up employment. The programme expects clients to work more than 18 hours a week within a six-month period of taking up employment.

According to the lobby group this is clearly excluding people with more severe disabilities. Its submission argues that if the programme is to be "genuinely inclusive" then it will have to have flexibility to cater for people with significant disabilities.

"In its current form, the scope of the plan is too narrow as it does not take into account the totality of needs of people with disabilities and does not reflect the degree of flexibility required to meet those needs," the submission states.

It points out that some people with significant disabilities are not "job ready" and may need support from job coaches for some time. The Fás programme seeks an "exit plan", setting out when the client will be independent and working in the open labour market.

The PWDI submission also highlights a number of areas where small changes could make a significant difference to people with disabilities.

It calls for a more rigorous policing of parking spaces for disabled people so that able bodied people are deterred from using the spaces. It also calls for a policy in all State departments of offering first or last appointments to people with disabilities.

Giving a person with a disability the first appointment of the day means that they are not waiting long periods to be seen.

Giving them the last appointment of the day means that they are not being rushed through their meeting because other people are waiting to be seen.

The lobby group's submission also calls for an extension of all employment rights, including rates of pay and pensions to sheltered employment. Moreover, it calls for disability awareness training for all staff, particularly staff meeting customers on a daily basis.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is one of six departments drawing up sectoral plans on disability, as required by the new Disability Act.

All departments must present their plans to the Oireachtas before the end of July.