Martin steps in to avert closure of Blindcraft

CLOSE to 40 visually impaired workers at Blindcraft yesterday won a last-minute reprieve from redundancy after the Government agreed to provide a new strategy for the agency.

The State agency, which provides employment for 36 blind and visually impaired workers, was scheduled to close down with the loss of all jobs after the Department of Health’s Prospectus report recommended the abolition of the Board for the Employment of the Blind.

However, following a meeting with Health Minister Micheál Martin yesterday, a new working group is to be established to provide a new strategy to keep Blindcraft open.