Vol. 568 No. 2
6 Mr. Kenny asked the Taoiseach the policy of his Department in respect of the employment of persons with disabilities; the initiatives which have been taken to facilitate persons with disabilities to gain employment in his Department or in the other bodies within its aegis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13331/03]
7 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if initiatives have been taken within his Department or agencies connected to his Department, to facilitate the employment of persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14725/03]
8 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the number of persons with disabilities employed in his Department; the percentage of the overall number of employees this represents; the way in which this compares with the Government target of 3%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15287/03]
9 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Taoiseach the way in which his Department promotes the employment of people with disabilities within his Department. [15756/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 9, inclusive, together.
My Department and the bodies under its aegis are committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all staff. The main body under the aegis of my Department is the Central Statistics Office. We follow the guidelines set out in the code of practice for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service.
Recruitment, promotion, training and all other benefits and opportunities are decided on the grounds of ability, qualifications and other relevant objective criteria. Of the 193 core staff currently employed in my Department, six people have disabilities. My Department therefore exceeds the 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities. The Department's offices are compatible with the needs of persons with disabilities.
Are any of those six staff members wheelchair-bound and, if so, is there proper access to all areas of the Department to enable them to do their work? Is the Taoiseach aware of the concerns expressed by many people that there is no possibility of work for those who need personal assistants because the so-called mainstreaming of people with disability problems is not happening? Is that being followed up in the Taoiseach's Department? Is the Taoiseach aware of anyone with a disability who was unable to take up employment in his Department because he or she cannot get a personal assistant as a result of these schemes ending? Will he look into this?
I cannot claim credit for this but the Department of the Taoiseach was made wheelchair-friendly many years ago. Many meeting rooms in the Department in which meetings under the various social partnership pillars are held are wheelchair-accessible, which is appreciated. There are no difficulties along the lines mentioned by Deputy Kenny in my Department but there are more general difficulties. Different Ministers of State deal with this matter, as it cuts across different areas – education, health and justice – so at least three Ministers are involved in this issue.
Can the Taoiseach foresee the day when a wheelchair-using official or Deputy will be able to take part in the business of the Chamber? Has that been addressed? Are there any plans to deal with a Deputy who may break a leg and be forced to use a wheelchair? That happened to former Deputy Nora Owen and the late Deputy Jim Mitchell. What are the plans for such cases?
Is the 3% quota still being observed in the Taoiseach's Department? In general, the figure in the public service is 1.5% and the Taoiseach should give a percentage for his Department, as he merely outlined the number of individuals in his previous reply. Is he responding to the concerns of those with disabilities in Ireland, who complained about the withdrawal of medical cards and other essential benefits for those with disabilities earning over €123 per week? That might apply to those working in his Department.
The Deputy is moving well away from the question.
I have been quite careful to stick to the Taoiseach's Department in my questions.
As I said in regard to my Department, the facilities are in place there. Regarding the Houses, when Brian Crowley became a Senator, the Office of the Ceann Comhairle was very helpful in making the changes necessary to help him. Former Deputy David Andrews also had to use a wheelchair for a considerable period and the necessary facilities were also made available to him. Ramps have also been put in place. The facilities are there and while it was not easy, they are certainly in use.
The percentage in my Department is just over 3% but the figure varies in other areas. The percentage in the Law Reform Commission is 5% while small bodies like the National Economic and Social Council and the Information Society Commission have not reached the target. The Central Statistics Office percentage is over 5%.
We should not just say we are on 3% – we should take opportunities to go higher. Thanks to the Equality Authority, the rules are now quite clear about taking people in on the grounds of ability. I have dealt with the groups which form the Fourth Pillar in social partnership, and in terms of employability, many people in those groups are highly efficient and very good administrators and organisers. People should comply with the percentages, although I know it is not always possible in that in some areas, disabled people are not applying for jobs. Where disabled people apply for jobs, people should take as favourable a view as possible to increase the percentages and not just to maintain them. That is the law now. Recruitment, promotion, training and all other benefits and opportunities are decided on the grounds of ability, qualifications and other relevant objective criteria, so there should be no discrimination.
Does the Taoiseach know when the policy to recruit a quota of not less than 3% of people with disabilities in the public service was agreed? It must have been about 25 years ago.
I think it was 1977.
That is very close. Is that not a poor performance after 25 years? It is all very well to say that 3% of people with disabilities are employed in the Taoiseach's Department. That is actually six people. That is a poor record, particularly since the Taoiseach has acknowledged implicitly that the 3% quota is not universally observed throughout the public service. Is that not a poor performance? Is anybody in Government driving this? Is it not the case that there are many people with disabilities of one kind or another who would make an excellent contribution to the affairs of running the business of State? It is beginning to look as if a policy embarked upon 25 years ago has been held, more or less, around the minimum objectives set at that time. That is not good enough.
I will not argue with Deputy Rabbitte on this because I have said people should not look to the 3% target but that they should try to improve on it. I cannot say how it works within the Civil Service Commission and I will not try to do so. In regard to the legal position, I was responsible for this brief for five years as Minister for Labour and at that time, we had to deal with all the reasons this could not be done. I do not think I brought the equality Act through this House but I did much of the work on the legislation which updated much of the 1974 Act which I think was introduced by the former Minister for Labour, Michael O'Leary. The amending Act stated that in recruitment, promotion, training and opportunities people with disabilities had to be given an equal break.
In the late 1980s, the Civil Service Commission did not recruit too many people but that situation changed dramatically and it began to recruit large numbers. It has perhaps slowed down a bit but it is still substantial. We endeavoured to get those with disabilities through to the interview process, the first step on the ladder towards clerical officer, executive officer and higher executive officer posts. I still support that. One would imagine that the figures should automatically rise.
The section for which the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, is responsible in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment still co-ordinates and deals with this issue. That comprises a small number of people who are aggressive – or at least they were in my time there – and who drive this policy. I will communicate this debate to that section.
It is recognised that 70% of disabled people are unemployed. Is that not a damning indictment of our failure to address the specific need of people with disabilities? Does the Taoiseach agree that the only way that can be addressed is in a pro-active manner so that those who aspire to joining the workforce and broadening their efforts towards independent living would be facilitated? What measures is the Government currently undertaking or does it propose to take to address that damning statistic where 70% of disabled people are unemployed? Many disabled people lose benefits when they join the workforce.
Sorry, Deputy, that does not arise. The Chair has given you some latitude on your first question. The questions are addressed specifically to the Taoiseach's Department. If the Deputy has another question, he should submit it to the appropriate ministry.
It is very much within the scope of the question and maybe the Taoiseach would be good enough to oblige and—
Sorry, Deputy, we cannot broaden it out to the responsibility of other Ministers.
—indicate what steps he and his Government will take to address this important issue.
A substantial number of disabled people are employed under the old system who would not otherwise have been employed. Training and the changes to the equality Act and in accessibility have been welcome. Many of the organisations with which I have been involved for many years, including since before entering this House, would argue that not all disabled people are looking to be mainstreamed into normal employment. That is not the position and those organisations never argued that case. They have always argued that there is a proportion of disabled people who are available for mainstream employment. We have to improve the rules, entry and the training for those people. We have not reached high standards in that regard, although we have improved the situation. The agencies under my Department employ 30 or 40 disabled people yet 25 years ago, they probably would have employed one or two. That is an improvement but we need to continue to implement the Act which states that when people are going for interview or where there is an open competition, they must be treated equally. That is the law. Disabled people do quite well in the examinations but the numbers are not great, so work in the early years is the important issue.
I will stray on one point, although I will not stray too far. Now that children with disabilities are in the education system and are not totally segregated as in the past, they have a far greater chance. I am familiar with the School for the Blind which educated large numbers of boys and girls. Most young people are now in mainstream education, so they have opportunities to come through in the normal way. I am not saying there was anything wrong with the way they were educated in the past – these were good places. However, being in mainstream education should increase dramatically their employability. It is for us to make sure the structures are in place which allow that to happen. My experience of people with disabilities is that they are very good workers.
Will the Taoiseach again clarify how many employees in his Department have a mobility impairment? If an employee in his Department with a mobility impairment had to go abroad on official business and was not able or in a position to have the pleasure of sharing the Government jet with the Taoiseach, would the Taoiseach think it reprehensible that an airline like Ryanair would charge that person €28 simply for the privilege of having an armchair provided for a few minutes to get the person on to the aeroplane? Would the Taoiseach be inclined to make objections to that?
I would. The figure in my Department is more than 3%. In some of the agencies, it is up to 5%, while in others it is less.
Does the Taoiseach agree that a vital ingredient in this context would be the rapid advancement through the House of the Disability Bill which would create an atmosphere and procedures whereby those with special needs would be able to compete more effectively on the so-called level playing pitch? Will he show example to other Departments by taking responsibility for the introduction of that Bill in the House at the earliest possible date? It has been talked about for a long time and, in this context, he now has an opportunity to give a lead.
The question must refer specifically to the Taoiseach's Department.
That is specifically what I am asking. The Taoiseach is in a unique position to give a lead in this area this year.
The Bill is being prepared.
The Taoiseach and I met recently in Croke Park at the launch of Team Ireland in advance of the Special Olympics. Has he had questions put to him on whether his Department would endorse the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, given that the Government has decided to oppose it? At least the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has done so. Will the Taoiseach state if his Department—
I suggest that the Deputy submits a question on that matter—
—is giving leadership in this regard? The manner in which the convention is dealt with is a matter for his Department.
That is not within the remit of these four questions.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform needs to hear from the Taoiseach on this matter.
To follow up on Deputy Durkan's important question, does the Taoiseach think the Disabilities Bill will be enacted this year?
I certainly hope so.
