Disabled People in Employment in Ireland

The employment of those with disabilities has long been a contentious issue. There are many issues to be overcome by those who are disabled in order to be successful in firstly being motivated enough to put themselves forward for employment, then to actually obtain employment, and finally to perform the job with distinction. These issues include societal ones and how disabled people are perceived, also physical and psychological issues with respect to how the disabled person lives and copes with their disability. Upon research, it is apparent that one in ten Irish people carry some form of disability; and these people are two and a half times more likely to be in unemployment. It is also apparent that there is still some way to go before there are universally equal opportunities for those who are disabled and able to work, and those who are not disabled. The overall findings showed some very interesting content. A major obstacle to disabled people is that of how they are perceived. In light of this the author feels that by making the general public more educated to people with disabilities, then disabled people can in turn live relatively normal, productive lives.

Patsy M Caulfield, BBS: Studied Bachelor of Business Studies Specialising in Management at Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland. About to take up a Graduate Management Programme in England.Became interested in this sector as a result of a very close friend becoming disabled in a car crash.