Vol. 513 No. 1
131 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of employees in the local authority service; the number of these employees with disabilities; the percentage of local authority employees with a disability; when all local authorities will have reached the 3% quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1590/00]
Based on staffing returns supplied to my Department as at 31 December, 1998 – the most up-to-date information available to my Department – the number of staff including part-time staff in the local authority service is 27,168.78 whole-time equivalents; the number of staff with disabilities is 732; the percentage of local authority staff with a disability is 2.7%. The commitment in Partnership 2000 that the 3% quota for the employment of people with disabilities in the local authority service be met during the lifetime of the partnership has been brought to the attention of the local authorities which have not yet reached the 3% quota; they have been requested to make every effort to ensure that the quota would be achieved by the end of the period of the agreement. The 1999 staffing statistics should be available later in the year.
I also launched in September last a new code of practice for the employment of people with disabilities in the local authority service. This code was developed after extensive public consultation, including disability interests.
