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	Cabinet subcommittee to discuss measures that include target to reach full employment</p>
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	The Government is to publish a comprehensive employment strategy for people with a disability within weeks. The Cabinet subcommittee on social policy met on Monday and discussed a range of new measures in the sector.</p>
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	Minister for Children James Reilly gave a presentation on the possibility of extending the support of special-needs assistants to preschool children in mainstream schools.</p>
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	This could mean assistants could be hired to work in preschools in an effort to intervene at the earliest stage.</p>
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	A Government source said: &ldquo;It is accepted that the supports that are there at present are not satisfactory and people are assigned supports on an ad-hoc basis. Minister Reilly worked with the Departments of Education and Health and the aim is to have a system that can operate throughout the country.&rdquo;</p>
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	Working group</p>
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	The plans were not signed off but the Minister was given approval to set up a working group to examine this area.</p>
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	Minister of State for Equality Aodh&aacute;n &Oacute; R&iacute;ord&aacute;in also gave a presentation on the new employment strategy for disabled people.</p>
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	The proposals are due to be released in a number of weeks but are said to include a number of targets to reach full employment. They will be sent to the various interest groups for consideration and then will come before Cabinet within weeks.</p>
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	The new strategy has included input from the Departments of Social Protection and Health.</p>
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	Empowering employers</p>
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	A senior source said it will be about empowering employers to hire those with disabilities and to assist those who acquire a disability in their employment.</p>
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	The Government source said: &ldquo;There will be individual measures with clear targets. The targets are reasonably ambitious. This is an issue of justice, not charity.&rdquo;</p>
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	The Cabinet subcommittee, attended by the Taoiseach and T&aacute;naiste, also agreed to ensure the Assisted Decision Making Bill will be passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas by the summer.</p>
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	Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald has vowed to have the law passed before the summer recess.</p>
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	Up to 600,000 people in Ireland are affected by some level of disability.</p>
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	<a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/employment-strategy-for-people-with-disabilities-in-weeks-1.2225817">http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/employment-strategy-for-people-with-disabilities-in-weeks-1.2225817</a></p>
