I understand that the Deputy's question relates to employment opportunities for people with a disability in the civil and wider public service.
The moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service was introduced in 2009, as part of the response to the fiscal and economic crisis. In tandem with annual headcount targets set for each area of the public service under the Employment Control Framework, the moratorium was applied across the entire public service. As the Deputy will be aware, the two instruments played a central role in helping to bring the cost base of the public service into line with the State's funding resources.
Exceptions to the moratorium, where they arose, were made on the basis of the specific requirements of the particular posts to be filled rather than, for example, the disability status of any applicant. In addition, a number of Departments and Offices in the civil service are participants in the Willing Able and Mentoring (WAM) Programme which is a paid mentored work placement programme aimed at graduates with disabilities. This programme was not subject to the moratorium.
In my Expenditure Statement in October 2014, I announced that the moratorium would be replaced with new delegated management arrangements to be phased in during 2015. These delegated arrangements are designed to give public service managers the means to respond to service needs as they arise, including considerable flexibility to make staffing and service delivery decisions.
Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 sets a 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities in the public sector. As part of my responsibilities as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have overarching responsibility for the terms and conditions of employment of public servants. However, specific policies relating to the employment of persons with disabilities in each of the sectors of the public service, other than the civil service, are dealt with by the appropriate responsible Minister.
The following table summarises the statistics shown in the National Disability Authority (NDA) reports in relation to the number employed in Government Departments. The latest report published is for 2013. The Deputy may wish to note that, notwithstanding the recruitment moratorium the civil service met the 3% target every year in the period in question.
|
Year
|
Total No of Staff
|
Total No of Staff Reported with a Disability
|
%
|
|
2010
|
19,631
|
811
|
4.1
|
|
2011
|
20,204
|
850
|
4.2
|
|
2012
|
20,384
|
873
|
4.3
|
|
2013
|
20,119
|
877
|
4.4
|
