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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 22 Nov 1983

Vol. 346 No. 1

Written Answers. - Employment of Disabled Persons.

274.

asked the Minister for Labour the numbers of disabled persons employed in (1) the Civil Service, (2) the semi-State bodies, (3) the local authorities, (4) the health boards and (5) the VEC; showing the proportion of the total work force in these categories; and if he will comment on the progress towards the 3 per cent target set for mid-1985.

275.

asked the Minister for Labour the proportion of new recruits that came from the disabled category in (1) the Civil Service, (2) the semi-State bodies, (3) the local authorities, (4) the health boards and (5) the VECs during each of the past three years.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 274 and 275 together.

Significant progress has been made with the quota scheme and the number of disabled persons employed in the public service has increased substantially.

In so far as local authorities, health boards and other State bodies are concerned, the employment of disabled persons is a matter for the individual bodies and the responsible Ministers but they have been urged to take the necessary steps so that the 3 per cent quota will be achieved as quickly as possible. I am aware that more flexible recruitment procedures have been introduced in some cases to facilitate the recruitment of disabled persons.

The special programmes for the recruitment of disabled persons to the Civil Service are being continued.

It will be appreciated that the current embargo on recruitment to the public service adversely affects the speed with which the 3 per cent quota can be achieved. Despite the difficulties, I will continue to encourage the public service generally to do all they can to increase their intake of disabled persons.

The specific information sought by the Deputy, in so far as it is available to me, is contained in the following tables.

Table 1: Numbers Employed December 1982

Sector

Disabled Persons Employed

Proportion of Workforce who are Disabled

Civil Service

538

0.8

Semi-State Bodies

1147

2.2

Local Authorities

230

0.6

Health Boards

273

0.7

*Vocational Educational Committees

41

0.5

* Latest available information is for June 1982.

Table 2: New Recruits

Body

Number of New Recruits

Proportion of New Recruits who are disabled

1980

1981

1982

1980

1981

1982

%

%

%

Civil Service

6825

5260

2544

0.4

3.2

2.4

AnCO

158

164

190

1.9

3.0

Nil

CERT

15

2

8

6.7

Nil

Nil

Youth Employment Agency

6

Nil

(Estd. March 1982.)

The information on new recruits to other semi-State bodies, local authorities, health boards and vocational education committees is not available to me.

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