People with disabilities working for €5 a week

THE Government was given a code of practice for people with disabilities working in sheltered workshops in 2002, but never implemented it, leaving it to “gather dust”.

Calls for that report to be finally implemented were made yesterday after it emerged workers in that category are earning as little as €5 a week. That has prompted the Health Service Executive (HSE) to begin a comprehensive review of current practices in adult funded day services.

The HSE and Equality Authority (EA) are carrying out separate investigations into allegations that those with intellectual disabilities were being paid far below the minimum wage for practices which were financially profitable, such as making cardboard boxes and putting inserts into mailshots.

The EA is examining five cases of possible discrimination in the area.

The HSE said its review will look at the nature, scope and extent of issues surrounding current practices taking place in adult-funded day services. It said one of the functions will be to ensure “the statutory employment and equality rights of people with disability are fully respected”.

The review timetable will be agreed in September. It is expected to be completed by August 2008.

However, there are only a small number of those in workshops who are working in commercial/ productive activities — the majority provide a combination of sheltered occupational activities, together with personal support services according to the Code of Practice for Sheltered Occupational Services.

Formulated in 2002 under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, that code was drawn up by a group comprising the EA, voluntary organisations, representatives of people with disabilities, the then Health Boards and the National Disability Authority.

According to Rehab, it provides for standards for the operation of sheltered occupational services, including rights and entitlements, the provision of allowances, personal development activities, complaints procedures, and diversity and equality.

“It is now lying on a shelf gathering dust. What is needed now is not another review but immediate implementation,” a Rehab spokeswoman said.

“Rehab welcomes any initiative that resolves issues for people with disabilities in sheltered workshops and has campaigned vigorously on this issue for the last 15 years. Rehab has brought the issue repeatedly to the attention of the HSE, Department of Health and Government, and in 2002, to the United Nations”

The UN, said it was ”particularly concerned that people with disabilities, including those working in sheltered workshops, do not have the status of employees and therefore do not qualify for the minimum wage arrangements”.