Michael Finucane
Question:141 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress which has been made in reaching the 3% target of people with disabilities employed in county councils and health authorities. [3090/02]
Written Answers. - Employment of People with Disabilities.
My Department provides a focal point for disability equality policy and legislation development. As such my Department collects data in relation to the 3% target for employment of people with disabilities in the public service, excluding the Civil Service, which is a Government led positive action measure. Although the target has yet to be achieved there has been a degree of progress over the past number of years. The overall statistics are as follows:
|
Year |
% |
|
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 1 to 10,000 employees.
It must also be noted that some bodies have exceeded the target – the highest performer achieved a level of almost 7%. 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 develop ment involving both legislative and positive action measures to achieve this end.
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 Minister for Health and Children and from the Minister for the Environment and Local Government. I have appended it in tabular form to this reply.
Both the Minister of State and I are concerned that the overall level of progress with regard to the target has been unacceptably slow. Recently we published the disability Bill which, when enacted, will put the target on a statutory basis for the first time. The monitoring committee, which we have established and which is chaired by our Department, will continue to monitor and guide progress. It has supported a number of initiatives over the past 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; 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; 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 the 22 November 2001. This report provides an insight into some of the issues which hinder progress and includes recommendations to assist future progress. Copies of the report have been circulated to all public sector employers to inform their future strategies.
While analysing progress on the target, account must be taken of one of the most significant developments to date – 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. With the passing of the disability Bill all of this work will be underpinned with legislation.
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 1 January 2001
|
Name of Authority |
Percentage of workforce with disabilities |
|
County Councils |
% |
|
Carlow |
1.84 |
|
Cavan |
1.13 |
|
Clare |
3.03 |
|
Cork |
2.44 |
|
Donegal |
0.45 |
|
Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown |
2.20 |
|
Fingal |
3.38 |
|
Galway |
2.24 |
|
Kerry |
4.64 |
|
Kildare |
1.32 |
|
Kilkenny |
2.88 |
|
Laois |
3.24 |
|
Leitrim |
1.15 |
|
Limerick |
3.23 |
|
Longford |
2.50 |
|
Louth |
2.90 |
|
Mayo |
5.12 |
|
Meath |
2.48 |
|
Monaghan |
0.27 |
|
Offaly |
1.27 |
|
Roscommon |
3.14 |
|
Sligo |
2.42 |
|
South Dublin |
0.33 |
|
Tipperary (North Riding) |
1.12 |
|
Tipperary (South Riding) |
2.94 |
|
Waterford |
2.72 |
|
Westmeath |
1.83 |
|
Wexford |
2.70 |
|
Wicklow |
0.93 |
|
County Borough Corporations |
|
|
Cork |
3.83 |
|
Dublin |
4.37 |
|
Galway |
0.58 |
|
Limerick |
5.13 |
|
Waterford |
6.80 |
|
Total |
2.96 |