Sustaining Progress - Department of Taoiseach

13.5 Since the mainstreaming of services, the Department of Health and Children has been pursuing a
policy of ensuring that within each Health Board there is sufficient rehabilitative training provision,
both numerically and qualitatively, to meet the demand for such training. Since June 2000, an
additional 500 rehabilitative training places have been provided nationally. Accreditation by the
National Accreditation Committee is an essential requirement of public funding for all rehabilitative
training service providers. A rehabilitative training policy document will be produced and circulated
as part of the Department’s 2003 Business Plan.
13.6 Vocational training is training in a specific employable skill to a predetermined level of certified
competence. FÁS will maintain the number of vocational training places for the disabled in 2003 at
2002 levels.
13.7 The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, under the Government’s restructuring of
mainstreaming services to people with disabilities, will continue to develop policy for vocational
training and employment of people with disabilities on a three dimensional basis involving:
■ developing the skills of people with disabilities to enable them to access employment;
■ stimulating awareness amongst employers of the contribution which people with disabilities can
make to their businesses and encouraging companies to more actively consider recruiting people
with disabilities; and
■ providing specific employment supports for people with disabilities and employers.
13.8 The Department’s objective over the next period will be to consolidate the significant value added in
advancing the employment and training agenda since assuming policy responsibility for vocational
training and employment of people with disabilities. To this end, the Department will pursue a policy
of ensuring the maximum effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of programmes for people with
disabilities. In this regard, and in the overall context of Government policy of mainstreaming services
to people with disabilities, the Department has commissioned a review of Vocational Training
provision for people with disabilities. The review will, inter alia:
■ assess the FÁS role in supporting, managing and monitoring training provided by specialist
providers;
■ examine the nature and extent of supports used by the various providers to assist people with
disabilities to progress to employment;
■ consider the potential for increased training of people with disabilities in a more integrated way;
and
■ identify areas where improvements can be made in operational procedures.
13.9 A FÁS review of the National Supported Employment Programme will be concluded at an early date
with a view to identifying areas where the Programme can operate more effectively. The provision for
2003 amounts to €6.65m which will allow for up to 900 places, depending on the phasing of uptake.
Part 2 Pay and the Workplace
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