1. Mary O’Flaherty & Brighid Cahalane INTO Equality Committee INTO Equality Conference 2010 Fáilte – Inclusion in the Teaching Profession Discussion Group – Disability and Civil/Marital Status

2. Is it a Disability? Manic Depression Residual back injury Alcoholism Diabetes Epilepsy Dyslexia Literacy problem Morbid obesity

3. Definitions – EPSEN Act 2004 “special educational needs” means, in relation to a person, a restriction in the capacity of the person to participate in and benefit from education on account of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or learning disability, or any other condition which results in a person learning differently from a person without that condition and cognate words shall be construed accordingly:

4. Definitions – Disability Act 2005 “disability”, in relation to a person, means a substantial restriction in the capacity of the person to carry on a profession, business or occupation in the State or to participate in social or cultural life in the State by reason of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment:

5. Is it a Disability? Manic depression? Yes Residual back pain? Yes Alcoholism? Yes Diabetes? Yes Epilepsy? Yes

6. Is it a Disability? Dyslexia? Yes, under Equal Status Act Literacy problem? No Morbid obesity? Not clear. Employer imputed the disability onto the employee

7. Equality Committee Survey 2009 Examples of disabilities from the survey: Back problems Hearing loss Voice problems Depression Stress

8. Equality Committee Survey 2009 Alopecia Mild Multiple Sclerosis Nodes on vocal cords HIV

9. Reasonable Accommodation Class allocation Car parking close to building Vacuuming classroom No bleach in classroom

10. Reasonable Accommodation Microphone use Time off work Ground floor classroom Sound field systems

11. Discussion Group Questions 1) To what extent do you believe that teachers with disability feel recognised and included in the teaching profession and in our staffrooms? 2) What steps are necessary to accommodate a teacher with physical or mental disability in the workplace, and in what circumstances (if any) is a school justified in pleading an inability to accommodate?

12. Discussion Group Questions 3) What awareness-raising measures are required (i)In the teaching profession (ii)In school management (iii)Elsewhere… in relation to the rights of persons with a disability to be accommodated?