Justice Minister Chris Said spoke about the employment of disabled people when he visited the Sonia Tanti Independent Life Centre in Ħal Far, saying some 130 disabled people have found employment on a full-time basis or gained work experience which led to their being employed, through projects operated by the ETC, Aġenżija Sapport and the National Commission for Persons with Disability (KNPD).

The €1.5 million centre was set up with the assistance of the European Fund for Regional Development. Through it the KNPD offers services of advice, information and training to disabled people and their families. Dr Said described these services as an important instrument to help the disabled.

The government, he said, is creating training and employability programmes and today there are over 900 disabled people who are registered in full-time employment, and over 200 in part-time work. Through the Employment Aid Programme, the ETC has found work for 52 disabled people, with the government paying half their salary and their national insurance contribution for some years.

Under Bridging the Gap, the ETC found placement for 37 people who receive an allowance of 80% of the minimum wage to gain experience for eventual employment. And 430 people are benefiting from training and work experience in the Me2 project which Aġenżija Sapport runs together with the KNPD and the ETC.