Skip to main content
Normal View

Departmental Staff.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 March 2006

Tuesday, 7 March 2006

Questions (417)

Paudge Connolly

Question:

455 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons with disabilities employed in his Department; the percentage of the total staff that this represents; the human resources policy of his Department with regard to the recruitment of persons with disabilities; the qualification criteria for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8903/06]

View answer

Written answers

My Department is fully committed to the employment of people with disabilities where possible. Our policy is to ensure that people with disabilities are facilitated with access to employment opportunities and every necessary accommodation is made in this regard. To help achieve this, my Department has a disability liaison officer whose role is to act as a point of contact both within and between Departments for information and advice in relation to disability. The employee assistance service plays a valuable role in this regard as does management and staff alike within the Department. Disability awareness training has also been provided to a number of staff in the personnel area.

The Government's 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service has a key role to play in creating employment opportunities which might not otherwise be available. The Minister for Finance is responsible for this target which applies across the Civil Service and not just to individual Departments. The percentage of people with a disability in my Department currently stands at 5.08% representing some 148 people. For the purposes of determining this target, the term "people with disabilities" means people with a physical, sensory or psychological impairment which may have a tangible impact on their functional capability to do a particular job; or have an impact on their ability to function in a particular physical environment; or lead to a discrimination in obtaining or keeping employment of a kind for which they would otherwise be suited.

I am anxious to ensure that the Government target is achieved and my Department continues to liaise on an ongoing basis with the Public Appointments Service in an effort to recruit people with disabilities. As a result, during the past year, a number of people with disabilities were recruited through the Public Appointments Service. My Department also employed a number of graduates with disabilities on a work placement programme during the summer giving them valuable work experience relevant to their studies and skills. As this worked out very well, I am pleased to say that we will be offering further such placements this year under the WAM, Willing Able Mentoring project, which is part funded under the EQUAL initiative.

Top
Share