Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 12 Mar 2003

Vol. 563 No. 2

Written Answers - Employment Equality.

Joe Sherlock

Question:

140 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made to date towards meeting the 3% target of people with disabilities employed in Government Departments and other public bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7352/03]

Joan Burton

Question:

162 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the current percentage of persons with disabilities employed in the public service; when it is expected that the target of 3% set in 1997 will be reached; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5362/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 162 together.

My Department has a key role in the development of disability equality policy and legislation. As part of that remit, my Department collects data in relation to the 3% target for employment of people with disabilities in the public service, excluding Civil Service data which is collected by the Department of Finance's equality unit. Although the target has yet to be achieved, there has been a degree of progress in recent years. The overall statistics for the public service, other than the Civil Service, at 1 January each year are as follows: 1998, 1.52%; 1999, 1.72%; 2000, 1.89%; 2001, 2.12%; and 2002, 2.21%. The figures given for 2000, 2001 and 2002 are provisional, as returns are outstanding from a number of individual public service bodies. These figures supersede previously publicised information due to updated data which has been received and processed in my Department.

A Government commitment in the PPF requires that "every Department will 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". Accordingly, it is the responsibility of each Department to take the action necessary to ensure compliance by the public service bodies under their aegis. A monitoring committee, established and chaired by my Department, helps to monitor and guide progress in relation to the target. It has supported a number of initiatives in recent years including a draft code of practice for use in the public service, exploration of the options for common selection procedures for people with disabilities, raising awareness of the 3% target among, and giving information to, chief executive officers, personnel officers and disability equality officers in the public service through a series of eight regional seminars, 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 option at the public sector careers expo in April 2001.

Research on the issues and barriers relating to achievement of the target in six public service organisations has been commissioned. The report, Research Project on the Effective Recruitment of People with Disabilities in the Public Service, which was published in November 2001, provides an insight into some of the issues which hinder progress. It also includes recommendations to assist future progress. My Department, in partnership with the Equality Authority, launched an employer resource pack on 3 December 2002 to assist public service employers in the recruitment and retention of people with disabilities.

My colleague, the Minister for Finance, is responsible for the 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service. The 3% target is based on the definition of disability set out in the Civil Service code of practice on the employment of people with disabilities. This definition includes people with physical, sensory or psychological impairments. The statistical returns of Departments and offices do not specify the nature of the disability in order to maintain confidentiality. The table that follows this reply shows the percentage of employees with disabilities in each Department. The PPF included a commitment to review the employment of people with a disability in the Civil Service to ascertain ongoing adherence to the 3% employment target. While Departments met the target in the mid-1990s, the percentage has dropped below 3% since then. The percentage of people with a disability in the Civil Service at December 2001 was 2.78%. The Department of Finance has written to the heads of all Departments and offices to ensure that they are aware of their legal obligations and of the importance of reaching and maintaining the 3% target.

In light of the commitment in the PPF and in the interests of improving adherence to the target, the Department of Finance, in partnership with the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, commissioned a study on the career progression of people with disabilities in the Civil Service. The research, which was conducted by a team led by Goodbody economic consultants, will be published shortly. The research examines career progression for people with disabilities, highlights the challenges they face in pursuing their careers and makes recommendations for improvements. The Department of Finance is considering the recommendations and will draw up proposals shortly. Officials from the Department of Finance are meeting with the Civil Service staff unions to consider the recommendations.

Department/Office	September2000	December2001
Agriculture & Food	2.02	2.64
Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht & the Islands	3.50	3.51
Attorney General	1.32	0.99
Central Statistics Office	5.47	5.57
Chief State Solicitor	0.46	0.81
Civil Service Commission	1.72	3.03
Comptroller & Auditor General	1.54	0.85
Courts Service	0.81	2.79
Defence	4.53	4.5
Director of Public Prosecutions	0.00	1.67
Education & Science	3.03	2.57
Enterprise, Trade & Employment	3.42	3.73
Environment & Local Government	3.23	3.15
Finance	4.17	3.45
Foreign Affairs	2.45	2.98
Health & Children	2.51	2.71
Justice, Equality & Law Reform	2.67	2.61
Land Registry	3.36	3.7
Legal Aid Board		2.29
Marine & Natural Resources	4.28	3.8
Office of Public Works	2.99	3.45
Oireachtas	1.56	1.25
Ombudsman	0.00	2.74
Ordnance Survey	1.75	2.17
Presidents Establishment	0.00	0
Public Enterprise	2.98	4.39
Revenue Commissioners	2.01	2.06
Social, Community & Family Affairs	2.83	2.81
State Laboratory	5.20	1.15
Taoiseach	2.96	2.76
Tourism, Sport & Recreation	0.86	0.88
Valuation Office	4.62	5.6
Totals	2.58	2.78