Ivor Callely
Question:33 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Finance the progress, if any, that has been made to improve the low intake of people with a disability into the civil service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Civil Service Employment of Disabled Persons.
I would not agree with the Deputy that there is low intake of people with a disability into the Civil Service. As the Deputy is aware, it is Government policy to recruit people with disabilities into the Civil Service and arrangements for doing so have been in place for many years. I am happy to say that the target quota of 3 per cent for the employment of people with disabilities was reached in the Civil Service last year. The Code of Practice for the Employment of People with Disabilities in the Civil Service, which issued recently, calls on all Government Departments to continue to play their full part in employing people with disabilities.
The policy in relation to the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service is implemented by (a) from time to time holding special competitions confined to people with a disability, (b) facilitating people with a disability when competing in other open competitions and (c) where possible, retaining staff who become disabled after their recruitment. Recruitment competitions for appointment as executive officer and clerical assistant, both of which include a competition reserved specifically for people with disabilities, are currently under way.
While the Civil Service Commission from time to time holds competitions confined solely to people who are registered as having a disability, such as those mentioned above, it is open to anyone with or without a disability to apply for any open recruitment competition for which they are eligible. There are no central records of the number of staff with disabilities recruited by means of standard open competitions. The information on newly recruited staff supplied by Departments to the central database in my Department does not identify staff with disabilities, nor do I consider it appropriate that it should.