Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Feb 1996

Vol. 461 No. 2

Written Answers. - Disabled Persons in Civil Service.

Eric J. Byrne

Question:

47 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Finance the percentage of persons with a disability employed in the civil service on a Department by Department basis; the number of persons with a disability employed at each grade; the proposals, if any, he has to ensure that the 3 per cent quota is implemented throughout all Departments and at all grades; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18273/95]

Minister for Finance (Mr. Quinn)

As of 1 October 1995, the most recent date for which data are available, the proportion of people with disabilities employed in the Civil Service was 3 per cent. A tabular statement listing by Department the percentage of staff with a disability employed on 1 October 1995 is as follows.

Information regarding the grades in which people with disabilities are serving is not held centrally. Even if it were, I would be reluctant to publish details by grade in view of the extreme sensitivity of the data, particularly as, in the case of grades with a small number of staff, the information could result in the personal identification of staff with a disability.

Each head of Department is fully aware of the Government policy in relation to the employment of people with disabilities, which was reiterated in the Code of Practice for the Employment of People with Disabilities in the Civil Service, a copy of which is issued to all staff. The code of practice calls on all Government Departments to continue to play their full part in employing people with disabilities. In addition, since 1993, the Civil Service Commissioners have assigned a member of their staff as liaison officer for the recruitment of people with disabilities into the Civil Service to liaise with candidates, Departments and relevant specialised organisations.

The quota of 3 per cent applies to the Civil Service as a whole, not to individual Departments or grades. However, as can be seen from the list, the majority of Departments had a percentage of 3 per cent or higher of disabled people on their staff as of 1 October 1995.

The policy in relation to the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service is implemented by (a) from time to time holding competitions confined to people who are registered with, or entitled to be registered with, the National Rehabilitation Board as having a disability; (b) facilitating people with a disability when competing in open competitions not confined to people with a disability; and (c) where possible, retaining staff who become disabled after their recruitment.

Percentage of Staff with Disabilities in the Civil Service as of 1 October 1995, shown by Department.

Department/Office	% of Staff with a disability
Agriculture, Food and Forestry	2%
Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht	4%
Defence	5%
Education	3%
Enterprise and Employment	4%
Environment	3%
Equality and Law Reform	6%
Finance Group (i)	3%
Foreign Affairs	3%
Health	3%
Justice Group	3%
Marine	5%
Office of Public Works (ii)	4%
Office of the Tánaiste	0%
Revenue Commissioners (ii)	2%
Social Welfare	3%
Taoiseach's Group (iii)	5%
Tourism and Trade	3%
Transport, Energy and Communications	3%
Overall Total	3%

(i) includes the Civil Service Commission, the Offices of the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Houses of the Oireachtas, the Ombudsman's Office, the President's Establishment, the State Laboratory, the Valuation Office and the Ordnance Survey in addition to the Department of Finance.

(ii) under the aegis of the Minister for Finance, but shown separately in view of the numbers of staff employed,

(iii) includes the Offices of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor, the Central Statistics Office and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, in addition to the Department of the Taoiseach.