Labour MP Marie-Louise Coleiro-Preca, party spokesman on social solidarity, said the government has failed completely in the sector involving disabled people looking for employment. The situation had worsened since the Eden Foundation cooperative had given notice to the young disabled people who worked with it in the sheltered workshop.

She said the Employment and Training Corporation had a division specifically to help find employment for disabled people but its results were far from satisfactory, with some young disabled people waiting for years for a job. Past and recent schemes had not had the desired effect.

The situation was worsening because those disabled persons who had had a job and then found themselves discharged, found it traumatic to have to stay home or return to the adult training centres, where no reform has been implemented, in spite of the promises made by the government.