Sustaining Progress - Department of Taoiseach

Chapter 2 Sustaining Progress
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■ An Action Plan will be developed in 2003 for the implementation of the Code of Practice on
Sheltered Occupational Services for people with disabilities following a transition period of one
year. The transition period will involve briefing workshops for service providers and training
programmes for staff on a number of aspects of the Code, most particularly in the area of Person-
Centred Planning. A financial allocation has been made for this task to be commenced in 2003.
2.6.3 Care of Older People
■ A study to examine the future financing of long-term care in Ireland will be published early in
2003. A working group, including relevant interests, will be established to examine the strategic
policy, cost and service delivery issues associated with the care of older people.
■ Consideration will be given to the implementation of pilot programmes of care in respect of
older people.
2.6.4 Ensuring the supply of Care Workers and associated Professional Health Service Workers
■ The work of the PPF Working Group to examine the skills of health workers, including the role
and skills of care workers, will continue and report within 18 months.
■ Consideration will be given to a structured role for volunteers in the provision of care services
and the promotion of same during the lifetime of this Agreement.
2.7 Supporting the Long Term Unemployed, those who have become Redundant
and those in Low-Skilled Employment
The objectives are to equip people with the skills to give them access to good quality and secure
employment over their lifetime and to continue the re-integration of the long-term unemployed and
disadvantaged groups into the open labour market, with a focus on progression opportunities.
In particular, the actions proposed are designed to complement those agreed in the Section on Pay
and Workplace issues in relation to redundancy and to education and training.
Action must be focused on:
■ making work pay;
■ targeting low-skilled workers and the low-paid for training and further education to support
their progression to better-quality and better-paid jobs;
■ meeting the needs of workers who lose their jobs because of restructuring in the economy;
■ fostering family-friendly employment practices and supporting women returners; and
■ working to achieve the highest possible levels of employment in light of the NAPS target
of eliminating long-term unemployment by 2007.