Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Nov 2001

Vol. 545 No. 1

Written Answers. - Equal Opportunities Employment.

Jan O'Sullivan

Question:

301 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress which has been made in reaching the 3% target of people with disabilities employment in Departments and other public bodies; the percentages employed in each Department, health board and local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29988/01]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue):

My Department collects data in relation to the 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities in the public service excluding the Civil Service. Although the target has yet to be achieved there has been a degree of progress over recent years. The overall statistics are as follows:

Year	% Age
1995	1.49%
1997	1.52%
1998	1.72%
1999	1.90%

It must be noted that there are over 200 public service bodies, varying in size and diversity of jobs and the range of work involved. Public service bodies have staff levels ranging from one to 10,000 employees.

It must also be noted that some bodies have exceeded the target – the highest performer achieved a level of 5%. However, it is recognised that there are other bodies who have performed poorly. The government is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for people with disabilities in the areas of training and employment and has taken a strategic approach to policy development involving both legislative and positive action measures to achieve this end.

I recognise that, overall, the level of progress with regard to the target has been unacceptably slow. This must now be addressed urgently. I am, therefore, giving serious consideration to measures to ensure progress in this area, including a possible legislative option. In the meantime, the monitoring committee, chaired by my Department, will continue to monitor progress and guide support.

Under a Government commitment in the PPF, every Department is required to take appropriate action to ensure that agencies under its aegis achieve the 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities in the public service at an early date. In order to answer the statistical information sought by the Deputy, I have secured relevant information from the Ministers for Finance, Health and Children and the Environment and Local Government and appended it as follows in tabular form. The Government established a monitoring committee which is chaired by my Department to monitor and guide progress towards achievement of this target in the public service has supported a number of initiatives over the last two years including: approval of a draft code of practice for use in the public service and exploration of the options for common selection procedures for people with disabilities; raising awareness of the 3% target among, and giving information to, chief executives, personnel officers and disability equality officers in the public service through a series of eight regional seminars, and publication of an information brochure; and publication of a brochure designed to encourage people with disabilities to consider a career in the public service and promotion of this at the Public Sector Careers Expo in April 2001.

The monitoring committee commissioned research on the issues and barriers relating to achievement of the target in six public service organisations, the report of which the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Wallace, launched on Thursday, 22 November last. This report provides an insight into some of the issues which hinder progress and includes recommendations to assist future progress. Copies of the report are being circulated to all public sector employers to inform their future strategies.

While analysing progress on the target, I believe that account must be taken of one of the most significant developments to date – that is the introduction of mainstreaming disability policy which was launched by an Taoiseach in June 2000. This policy requires that public service bodies which provide services for the public are the same bodies that provide services for people with disabilities.

As a result, employment and vocational training policies for people with disabilities are now formulated as part of general labour market policy underlining the move from a medical view of disability to an inclusive economic and social view of disability. The mainstreaming process is still in the early stages and service providers, employers, clients and employees are adapting to the new arrangements that were put in place formally in June 2000 and which are developing in response to the new policy.

Health Agencies – figures at 1 January 2001

Name of Body	Percentage of workforce with disabilities
Eastern Regional Health Authority	0.31%
Midland Health Board	2.49%
Mid-Western Health Board	0.37%
North-Eastern Health Board	0.88%
North-Western Health Board	1.72%
South-Eastern Health Board	2.20%
Southern Health Board	3.47%
Western Health Board	2.33%
Total	1.70%

Local Authorities – figures at 31 December 1999

Name of Authority	Percentage of workforce with disabilities
County Councils
Carlow	1.86%
Cavan	1.15%
Clare	2.72%
Cork	2.23%
Donegal	0.47%
Name of Authority	Percentage of workforce with disabilities
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown	2.54%
Fingal	3.74%
Galway	2.52%
Kerry	4.83%
Kildare	1.53%
Kilkenny	2.70%
Laois	0.95%
Leitrim	0.83%
Limerick	3.32%
Longford	2.16%
Louth	2.67%
Mayo	5.03%
Meath	4.40%
Monaghan	0.28%
Offaly	0.80%
Roscommon	3.09%
Sligo	2.87%
South Dublin	0.35%
Tipperary (NR)	1.00%
Tipperary (SR)	3.21%
Waterford	0.90%
Westmeath	1.17%
Wexford	2.90%
Wicklow	1.21%
County Borough Corporations
Cork	3.88%
Dublin	4.10%
Galway	0.87%
Limerick	4.77%
Waterford	4.21%
Total	2.90%

My colleague, the Minister for Finance is responsible for the 3% target of employment of people with disabilities within the Civil Service. I understand that the 3% target has been effective in creating additional employment opportunities for people with disabilities in Departments.

The number of people with a disability employed in the Civil Service increased during the 1990s. The 3% target was achieved for the three years between 1993 and 1995. It is estimated that the percentage fell from 2.9% in 1996 and 1997 to 2.6% in 2000. These figures also reflect a more specific recording of employees with a disability to ensure that short-term disabilities are not included in the figures. I am satisfied that these reflect a more accurate position regarding the employment of people with disabilities in the public sector than the broader definitions of disability contained in earlier statistics

The Civil Service Commission held a special clerical officer competition between November 1999 and January 2000 for people registered with the former National Rehabilitation Board with the subsequent interviews taking place in the spring to early summer 2000. The successful candidates were placed on a panel. To date over 130 assignments have been made from this panel, with some 20 candidates awaiting assignment, while the remainder are awaiting clearance from the chief medical officer.

The Department of Finance, which is responsible for the operation of the 3% target within the Civil Service, is considering what steps need to be taken to improve the percentage of people with disabilities employed in the Civil Service. I understand that that Department is planning an initiative which will re-emphasise the importance of the policy to all other Departments.

As part of this policy review, research is being carried out into the career progression of people with disabilities in Departments which will result in specific recommendations to improve the position of people with disabilities in the Civil Service.

The employment of people with disabilities in the public and civil sector is kept under continuing review as this Government is determined to see more people with disabilities able to avail of jobs in Departments, bodies and agencies.

Civil Service – figures at December 2000

Department	Percentage of workforce with disabilities
Agriculture and Food	2.0%
Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands	3.5%
Central Statistics Office	5.5%
Courts Service	0.8%
Education and Science	3.0%
Enterprise, Trade and Employment	3.4%
Environment and Local Government	3.2%
Finance	4.2%
Foreign Affairs	2.4%
Health and Children	2.5%
Justice, Equality and Law Reform	2.7%
Land Registry	3.4%
Marine and Natural Resources	4.3%
Office of Public Works	3.0%
Public Enterprise	3.0%
Revenue Commissioners	2.0%
Social, Community and Family Affairs	2.8%
Other	2.4%
Total	2.6%