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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 6

Written Answers. - Departmental Staff.

John Dennehy

Question:

201 Mr. Dennehy asked the Minister for Finance the number and percentage of persons employed in each Government Department who may be described as suffering from a disability; and the proposals, if any, he has to improve the situation if this level does not meet the recommended level of 3 per cent. [23397/99]

As of 1 April 1999 there were 743 people with disabilities employed in the Civil Service, representing 2.7 per cent of the total staff. Following is a tabular statement showing the percentage of staff with a disability, by Department. My officials are currently in the process of gathering the figures for 1 October 1999. That the numbers of people with disabilities has dropped below the target of 3 per cent continues to be a cause of concern. The heads of each Government Department and office have been made fully aware of the importance of reaching and maintaining the 3 per cent quota.

The Civil Service Commission recently announced an open recruitment competition for clerical officers for people who are registered with, or entitled to be registered with, the National Rehabilitation Board, NRB, as having a disability. A panel of suitably qualified people will be established through this competition. Applicants will be facilitated by the provision of enlarged scripts, braille and audio test material, interpreters for interviews, and wheelchair access to test and interview locations. As soon as a panel of qualified candidates becomes available for appointment, each head of Department will be encouraged to draw from that panel when recruiting clerical officers.
The figure of 3 per cent relates to the Civil Service as a whole. It is not always possible to ensure that each Department individually fulfils the 3 per cent quota at all time. For example, the regular and ongoing movement of staff between Departments may impact on the quota at any given time. In addition, a number of positions across the Civil Service may not be suited to those with certain types of disabilities. For practical reasons therefore, in monitoring the number of disabled staff, the aim at present is to achieve an overall quota of 3 per cent.
The Civil Service, as an employer, is committed to a policy of equal opportunity which includes ensuring that people with disabilities who are capable of effective performance in the jobs to which they aspire are not disadvantaged by reason of having a disability.
Since 1994 a code of practice for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service has been in place. The code of practice covers issues such as recruitment, reception and integration into the workplace, career development, accommodation, equipment, safety and evacuation procedures. The implementation of the code of practice is monitored by a committee representative of staff and management. In addition, in the context of the strategic management initiative in the Civil Service, equality issues, including issues relating to the employment of people with disabilities, are being examined by a committee set up specifically for this purpose.
Percentage of staff with disabilities in the Civil Service, as of 1 April 1999, shown by Department.

Department/Office

Nos. serving(i)

% of staffwith adisability

Agriculture, Food and Rural Development

4,271

2.1%

Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands

641

3.1%

Central Statistics Office

520

5.4%

CChief State Solicitor's Office

220

0.5%

Civil Service Commission

137

2.2%

Comptroller and Auditor General's Office

133

1.5%

Defence

458

4.8%

Education and Science

989

2.9%

Enterprise, Trade and Employment

960

4.0%

Environment & Local Government

843

3.4%

Finance

540

3.5%

Foreign Affairs

841

2.6%

Health and Children

457

2.8%

Houses of the Oireachtas

266

1.9%

Justice, Equality and Law Reform Group

3,355

2.4%

Marine and Natural Resources

418

4.5%

Office of Public Works

539

3.3%

Department/Office

Nos. serving(i)

% of staffwith adisability

Ordnance Survey

256

1.6%

Public Enterprise

623

2.4%

Revenue Commissioners

6,329

2.3%

Social, Community and Family Affairs

4,402

3.0%

Taoiseach

171

1.2%

Tourism, Sport and Recreation

126

0.8%

Valuation Office

133

3.8%

Offices with less than 100 staff (ii)

253

1.6%

Overall Total

27,881

2.7%

(i)by reference to number of people employed, not number of posts; excludes staff in the National Gallery, in the Prison Service and staff in the Department of Foreign Affairs who are either temporary clerical staff or are recruited locally outside Ireland.
(ii)includes the offices of the Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Ombudsman, the President's Establishment and the State Laboratory.

Billy Timmins

Question:

202 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Finance if he has received an application from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development seeking funding for additional field officers at the district veterinary office in Naas, County Kildare, in view of the fact that there is only one officer available to cover the County Kildare and west Wicklow areas. [23460/99]

Generally speaking, staff of Government Departments and offices are funded from the appropriate Department-office's administrative budget pay subhead which is settled in the normal Estimates process. Most Government Departments and offices operate under the administrative budget system and have done so for a number of years now, under which, among other issues, the allocation and deployment of staff is a matter for the Department or office itself. The actual allocation of staff to the Naas district veterinary office is, therefore, entirely a matter for my colleague the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.

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