asked the Minister for Labour if he will give a percentage of the jobs in (a) the private sector and (b) the public sector, for people who are physically incapacitated.
40.
Written Answers. - Jobs Statistics.
39.
asked the Minister for Labour if there are mandatory requirements whereby the public sector and large scale employers in the private sector are required to employ a limited number who are incapacitated in some physical form; and, if not, if he has any proposals to rectify the situation.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 40 together.
My responsibility in the area of employment of disabled persons relates to the implementation of a Government decision that a quota of 3 per cent of disabled persons be employed in the public sector. The quota applies to disabled persons regardless of their type of handicap, so separate statistics are not kept of the numbers of physically handicapped employed.
The embargo on the filling of vacancies has impeded progress towards achieving the 3 per cent quota. However, as stated in my reply to a previous question on this matter on 1 December 1988, a total of 1,866 disabled persons, 1.5 per cent approximately of the workforce, were employed in Government Departments, semi-State bodies and local authorities at 31 December 1987.