Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2004
95 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Defence the way in which persons with disabilities can access employment in his Department; if there are special application procedures; the criteria by which it is decided that persons qualify; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13240/04]
View answerMy Department is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for persons with disabilities and to the policies that apply across the civil service generally with regard to the code of practice for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service.
The Office of the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commissioners is responsible for the recruitment of personnel into the civil service and assigns personnel to individual Departments and offices, including my Department. A limited number of appointments are filled directly by my Department, including those of services officer, services attendant, night watchman and cleaner. In addition, a number of civilians are employed with the Defence Forces at military barracks and are mainly engaged in building work and maintenance and on clerical, domestic and other duties. My Department strongly subscribes to the objective of employing persons with disabilities whenever possible. Offices which are open to the public are accessible to people with disabilities. Interpreters are provided at interviews if requested. Disability awareness training has been made available to staff throughout the Department. People with disabilities are entitled to apply for any post for which they are qualified and to have their applications considered on the basis of their abilities, qualifications and suitability for the work in question.
The Defence Forces have a derogation from the Employment Equality Act in respect of the criteria of physical ability and age. Therefore, the current age, medical and physical requirements for entry into the Defence Forces reflect the fact that only able bodied and fit recruits can satisfy the difficult and strenuous physical demands of the training and operational environment of the Defence Forces.
