Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 February 2018
307. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the quota in the public service for the employment of persons with disabilities; the percentage of staff with disabilities employed at Galway County Council; his plans to increase the quota, further to comments (details supplied) in 2015 on plans to increase the quota from 3% to 5%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8043/18]
View answerUnder Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005, public bodies are required to achieve a statutory target of 3% of employees with disabilities. Implementation of Part 5 of the Act is monitored on an ongoing basis by the National Disability Authority. The Authority reports each year on progress made on compliance with meeting the statutory target for employment in the public sector.
The Authority's most recently published report shows that at the end of 2015, 3.6% of staff employed in public sector bodies were people with disabilities: the report also shows that 4.6% of Galway County Council's employees are people with disabilities.
Policy responsibility in relation to the employment of people with disabilities in the public service, including the proposed increase in the statutory target from 3% to 6%, on a phased basis by January 2024, is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality.
