Sustaining Progress - Department of Taoiseach

Part 2 Sustaining Progress
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13.10 Policy in relation to these areas will be carefully re-evaluated in the light of the outcomes of these
reviews in order to maximise the potential for improving overall effectiveness and efficiency of labour
market services for people with disabilities. Discussions with key actors will be held on an on–going
basis as part of the reviews process.
13.11 FÁS will prioritise, so far as possible, all training and employment supports for the disabled within its
available resources.
13.12 The Workway project, which was initiated under the PPF, is currently underway and aims to increase
awareness around the issue of employment of people with a disability. The year 2003 has been
declared the European Year of People with Disabilities and the parties note that the Workway project
will end in the first quarter of 2004. This should subsequently be reviewed to establish the most
appropriate mechanism to ensure that it makes a sustainable contribution to improving the
employment opportunities of people with a disability.
13.13 The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment will conclude by mid-year its consideration of
existing sheltered employment models and will, subject to available resources, develop actions and
a policy framework aimed at enhancing the potential of sheltered employment to provide better
employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Section 14: Workplace Learning
14.1 The Government, IBEC and ICTU note the necessity of proactively addressing the issue of learning
in the workplace, which impacts upon the employability of individuals and the competitiveness of
enterprises. IBEC and ICTU have a key role in the development and implementation of appropriate
measures.
14.2 The parties are agreed on the following key areas for action:
■ the implementation within available resources of the recommendations of the Taskforce on
Lifelong Learning as agreed by the social partners;
■ the development of innovative action through initiatives such as Skillnets and the adult literacy
budget;
■ to ensure that the National Training Fund achieves its full potential in supporting training in
the workplace; and
■ the development of an appropriate framework on competencies and qualifications.
14.3 The Government, IBEC and ICTU will work with existing and future partnership initiatives with a view
to progressing the area of Workplace Learning.
14.4 The evolving situation in the national framework of qualifications is of particular importance for
the area of workplace learning. Adequate structures for access, transfer and progression through
Education and Training systems are of particular importance for the area of Workplace Learning.
Furthermore, the validation approaches of the two awards Councils need to facilitate the validation
of workplace learning.