This has been a very busy week, jam-packed with activities and new projects for people with disability, following the busy budget weeks, considering that one of this year's main budget principles was the disability sector. This really energises me to continue working in this sector to offer a better quality of life to those with disability. This does not only mean better or more services provided by the state, but making people with disability feel more comfortable living in our country. As a government, we are always placing emphasis on the word 'inclusion' and are constantly working towards people with disability being better included in our society.

Over the years we have achieved a very good example of inclusive education, whereby those with disability are fully included in our educational facilities. However, these members of our community are still finding it very hard to get employment, although they have the required qualifications for the job they seek. This is why the Budget included different measures to ensure that people with disability can also be included in the employment sector.

In the same way as what we have done for day centres for the elderly, having introduced lessons on information technology, we are now also doing the same at four day centres for people with disabilities, under a project named e-Inclusion, in collaboration with the Malta Communications Authority, FITA, and the National Disability Commission. We are therefore paving the way to develop a new concept in the disability sector: the idea of life-long learning hubs for those with disability. We are currently working towards the opening of the first lifelong learning hub for people with disability in Gozo, the first of its kind in the Maltese Islands, that will provide training on information technology.

Mtarfa Day Centre is also undergoing changes that will make it a state-of-the-art centre for those who use it. It will be renovated and refurbished in order to meet members' needs.

I am glad to say that last Sunday we opened the doors to include those with disability in the music sector. I wish to personally thank Winter Moods for being protagonists in the concert that made this happen. During the concert, people with disability sang, played instruments and read poems to the audience, along Winter Moods. This was the first event of its kind and I'm happy to say that I will remember it for the rest of my life. We have linked Premju Soċjetà Ġusta with this event, and thus presented the awards at the event. Speaking of which, I must congratulate the winners of these awards: Angelo Zahra who worked - and is still working - so hard for Dar Nazareth in Zejtun, Fr Manwel, the founder of Dar Arka in Gozo and Jeanesse Abela, a person with disability and great energy.