Omagh rights campaigner voices outrage at 'shameful' disability employment rate

AN OMAGH disability rights campaigner has described Northern Ireland's disability employment gap, which is significantly higher than the rest of the UK, as "shameful."

Dermot Devlin was speaking after it was revealed that in Northern Ireland, the current disability employment gap is 42 per cent, while in the UK, the average is 28 per cent.

The disability employment gap is the difference between employment rates for people with disabilities, and people without disabilities.

Mr Devlin has said the fact that such a large gap exists in Northern Ireland is "absolutely unacceptable", and he has called for the restoration of Stormont to address the barriers to employment that disabled people are currently experiencing.

"The situation is absolutely unacceptable and shameful," he said. "This should not be allowed to continue and is one of the many reasons we need Stormont back up and running so our politicians can work to address the problem.

"It must not be forgotten that disabled people contribute £274bn annually to the UK economy, known as the 'Purple Pound'.

"We are major contributors to economy and make up 20 per cent of the population, yet in Northern Ireland it is clear that we are not getting those employment opportunities to contribute to economy. It's a catch 22 situation."

Mr Devlin said he has spoken with numerous disabled people who have found it difficult to find employment, and many feel that they are being discriminated against because of their disability.

He explained: "I have spoken to one person from Belfast who, like many others, struggled to find employment, and he suspected he wasn't being offered interviews because of his disability.

"He decided to carry out an experiment. He sent away two separate applications, and on one stated that he was disabled, and on the other he didn't disclose that he had a disability. The applications where identical apart from mentioning his disability.

"For the applications where he mentioned he was disabled, he didn't get any interviews, but for the applications where he didn't mention his disability, he got interview offers. Unfortunately, this is the situation that many disabled people find themselves in."

In calling for the reforming of Stormont to address the situation, Mr Devlin has said that legislation within the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) must be ratified into law.

Under Article 27, persons with disabilities have the right to work, on an equal basis with others, which includes the right to the opportunity to gain a living by work freely chosen or accepted in a labour market and work environment that is open, inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities.

Mr Devlin concluded: "This legislation is the backbone of what disabled people need to work in an equal setting. Our politicians need to get back to work to to get this ratified into law."