Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 May 2003

Vol. 566 No. 1

Written Answers. - Departmental Staff.

David Stanton

Question:

740 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the policy of his Department with regard to the employment of persons with disabilities; the actions that have been taken to encourage, enable and assist people with disabilities to gain employment in his Department and in bodies under the aegis of his Department; the current situation with regard to persons with disabilities employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12155/03]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

My Department has a long standing commitment to providing equal opportunity for people with disabilities and to ensuring that staff members are not disadvantaged by reason of having a disability.

For a number of years my Department has exceeded the positive action target of 3% for the employment of people with disabilities. The most recent statistics available show that at the 31 December 2002 the number of people employed by my Department with disabilities stood at 3.2%. My Department's statement of strategy 2001-04 commits to "at the very least maintaining our performance regarding the employment of people with disabilities" and our customer service action plan sets out how the equality-diversity principle should be provided for in adopting quality customer service principles. Guidance has recently been provided for staff in relation to translating documents into braille for both internal and external customers.

A number of policy documents and frameworks have been developed centrally which addresses issues of equality and diversity. These policy documents include the code of practice on the employment of people with disabilities, diversity in the Civil Service, positive action for people with disabilities and a research project on the effective recruitment of people with disabilities into the public service. My Department takes cognisance of all of these policies and observes the relevant guidelines.

Some of the actions which have already been taken by my Department or which are being planned to ensure a policy of equal opportunities for people with disabilities are as follows. In cases where the Department recruits staff directly for example services officer positions, the relevant representative organisations for people with disabilities are contacted to inform them of such competitions and applications are invited. A disability liaison officer, DLO, with appropriate training has been appointed in my Department and is available to advise or assist staff with disabilities. The disability liaison officer meets all new entrants to the Department who have a known disability. Staff with mobility problems are assigned, in so far as is possible, to positions which are close to appropriate facilities. Staff with a disability have been facilitated in terms of flexible working arrangements. For promotion purposes the Department ensures that all applicants, including disabled applicants, are assessed objectively in the light of the particular requirements for the post. Interview boards are briefed on their legal obligations regarding equality and diversity issues. All reasonable efforts are made to provide special facilities and equipment to enable staff with disabilities to perform their job effectively. Structural alterations and renovations have taken place in the Custom House and in some of our regional offices to bring the buildings up to an acceptable standard of accessibility for people with disabilities. Health and safety issues have been addressed in terms of ensuring arrangements are put in place for the safe evacuation of disabled staff in the event of fire etc. Training and education is available on an equal basis to all staff including those with disabilities. Sign language interpreters have been engaged to support staff as necessary on training programmes. The Department employs non-discriminatory language and images in all its documents whether used internally or externally. Bodies under the aegis of my Department have been requested to consider engaging staff with disabilities whenever possible. They have also been requested to develop and implement codes of practice for the employment of people with disabilities and each body has been requested to appoint a disability liaison officer.