FIMITIC

The importance of e-Technology for people with disabilities was the topic of the International Socio-political Seminar organized on the occasion of the recent FIMITIC Delegates´ Conference 2007 by People with Disabilities in Ireland – PwDI - in co-operation with FIMITIC on September 14, 2007 in Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, entitled:

The Socio-political Seminar has pointed out the urgency of discussion on the treated subject and of further on Carrying out the dialogue and the corresponding actions.

The highly qualified presentations by the following speakers and the discussions were received favourably by the participants:

Dr. Jimmy Devins, Minister for Disability and Mental Health, Ireland
Dr. Mihaly Derera, Managing Director, MEOSZ – OTTI Educational and Teleworking Institute, Hungary
Mr. Roddy Molloy, Director General FAS (Department of Employment Services), Ireland
Mrs. Andrejka Fatur-Videtic mad, ms.c. Project leader, ZDIS (Federation of Disabled Workers of Slovenia)
Dr. Maurice Manning, Chairperson, HRC (Human Rights Commission), Ireland

From the Irish point of view, the PwDI Chairman Mr. James McClean and the Chief Executive Mr. Michael Ringrose underlined the priority need for access to information and communication technologies to everyone in society, but perhaps no-more so than persons with disabilities, creating opportunities to them.
If available to everyone, information technologies facilitate individuals in reaching their full potential and it enables people with disabilities to play their part in society´ s development.

The FIMITIC Award presentation for an example of good practice, the FIMITIC Gold medal, was presented during the festive Gala dinner by the FIMITIC President Nigel Brander to Aura Sports and Leisure Management for its excellent approach to provide a culture of inclusion to all people with disabilities, both employees and customers.
See the photo, for further details on Aura visit www.auraleisurecentres.ie

Participants from 14 FIMITIC member countries were in attendance.

The member associations are urgently asked to make the current discussion and the presented concerns known in the individual member countries and to contribute to bring about tangible discussion progress and ways for solution in advancing e-technology especially also for disabled people.

- Mr James McClean, Chairperson of People with Disabilities in Ireland - Speech
- Dr. Jimmy Devins, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children with responsibility for Disabilities and Mental Health - Speech
- dr. Maurice Manning - Speech
- Mr. Rody Molloy, Director-General, FÁS - DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SERVICES - Speech

- Dr Mihaly Derera: A UNIQUE PROJECT.
- ZDIS - Role in enhancing opportunities for people with disabilities to use e-technology in education, training and employment (mag. Andrejka Fatur-Videtiè, Drago Novak)

FIMITIC Delegates´ Conference & International Socio-political Seminar