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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 5

Written Answers. - Disability Support Service.

David Stanton

Question:

368 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the measures in place to ensure that people with special needs, whether intellectual or physical, are given opportunities to work; the quotas which exist in this regard; the procedures by the State and State agencies such as health boards, local authorities and semi-State companies to facilitate people who are intellectually or physically disabled; the number of places made available by the State and State agencies in 2000 and 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5272/02]

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.

The Government brought forward the Employment Equality Act, 1998, which, for the first time ever, provides protection against discrimination in employment and training to people with disabilities. The Equality Authority and the Office of the Director of Investigations were established to underpin statutory rights under the Act and to provide a means of redress. I am proud to say that this legislation places Ireland ahead of many other member states in the European Community with regard to the protection for people with disabilities against discrimination in employment.

A further significant development was the introduction of mainstreaming of services for people with disabilities in June 2000. As a result of this policy, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and FÁS are responsible for the employment and vocational training of people with disabilities. These policies for people with disabilities are now formulated as part of general labour market policy underlining the move from a medical attitude to disability to an inclusive economic and social view of disability.
My colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Harney, has initiated a number of positive action measures to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities. These measures include: the launch, in July 2000, of a national supported employment programme to place up to 800 people with disabilities into employment in the open labour market; funding for a social partner initiative, led by ICTU and IBEC, to promote the employment of people with disabilities in the private sector; increased funding for existing employment supports for employers and for people with disabilities; the introduction of new supports such as disability awareness training grants and employee re-training grants; and increased emphasis on progression from vocational training to employment for people with disabilities.
In 2000 and 2001, 1,962 vocational training places were available for people with disabilities through specialist training providers funded by FÁS. In addition, people with disabilities can avail of the full range of training programmes and services available directly from FÁS to help people prepare for and find employment.
The Department of Health and Children is responsible for non-vocational, that is, rehabilitative training for people with disabilities through the health boards. In 2002, an additional 500 rehabilitative training places have been approved by the Department of Health and Children in response to additional demand identified by the health boards. The Department is also responsible for sheltered work services. Under a provision of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, a working group established by the Department of Health and Children is in the final stages of developing a code of practice for sheltered work. When completed and approved by the Department of Health and Children, adherence to this code of practice will be a pre-requisite of funding for service providers.
A 3% target applies with regard to the employment of people with disabilities in the public service. This is a Government led positive action measure to facilitate the integration of people with disabilities into employment. Under a Government commitment in the PPF, every Department is required to take appropriate action to ensure that agencies under its aegis achieve the target at an early date.
In 1999, the Government established a monitoring committee chaired by my Department to monitor and guide progress towards achievement of this target in the public service – as distinct from the Civil Service. The committee 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 the 3% target at the Public Sector Careers Expo in April 2001; and commissioning research on the issues and barriers relating to achievement of the target in six public service organisations. The report was launched by the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Wallace, on the 22 November last year. The 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.
In addition, my Department recently published the Disability Bill, 2001. The Bill is a positive action measure to advance and underpin the participation of people with disabilities in everyday life through the removal of barriers and the provision of special supports where these are needed. The Bill will, on enactment, place the 3% target on a statutory basis.
My colleague, the Minister for Finance is responsible for the 3% target of employment of people with disabilities within the Civil Service. The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness included a commitment to a review of the employment of people with a disability in the Civil Service to ascertain ongoing adherence to the 3% employment target. As at December 2000, the percentage of people with a disability in the Civil Service was 2.6%. The Department is reviewing the operation of the policy with the aim of identifying what steps can be taken to improve its implementation.
As part of this review, the Department of Finance, in partnership with my Department and the Civil Service Commission, commissioned a study on the career progression of people with a disability in the Civil Service. The research is near completion and will be published shortly. It is expected that it will map out the current arrangements in respect of career progression for people with disabilities, highlighting the challenges they face when seeking to progress their careers and will make detailed recommendations for the future.
All Departments are required to appoint a disability liaison officer to act on behalf of people with disabilities within Departments. In the past year, the Department of Finance has established a network of disability liaison officers which meets regularly. A programme of special training for all disability liaison officers and human resource managers in Departments will commence in March 2002.
The Civil Service Commission is responsible for competitions with regard to recruitment to the Civil Service. It held a special clerical officer competition between November 1999 and January 2000. The successful candidates were placed on a panel. To date, over 140 assignments have been made from this panel, with some 40 other candidates awaiting clearance and assignment.
The following table sets out the most recent figures available regarding the number of people with disabilities employed in the Civil Service and separately for the rest of the Public Service as at 1 January 2001.
Civil Service
Wider Public Service (excluding Civil Service)*

Year

Totalnumberserving

% Reportedas having adisability

2000

29,432

2.58Informationbeingcollected

Year

Totalnumberserving

% Reportedas having adisability

2001

127,685

1.99Information beingcollected

* Provisional figure.
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