Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 December 2019
158. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the target set for public service employment for persons with a disability; the date by which same is to be achieved; the percentage as it stands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52888/19]
View answerIn accordance with requirements under the Disability Act 2005, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is required to report to the National Disability Authority (NDA) on the numbers of people with a disability working in the Civil Service only. Other Ministers have similar responsibilities for the wider public service.
Under Section 47 of the Disability Act, all public bodies are required:
- in so far as practicable take all reasonable measures to promote and support the employment by it of persons with disabilities, and
- ensure, unless there is good reason to the contrary for not doing so, that it reaches any compliance targets (i.e., that not less than 3% of the persons employed by it are persons with disabilities).
As part of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities, the public service employment target of people with disabilities will be increased on a phased basis from 3% to 6% by 2024.
The NDA publishes full details on public sector compliance with this target on its website.
http://nda.ie/Publications/Employment/Employment-of-people-with-disabilities-in-the-public-service/Reports-on-compliance-with-public-sector-jobs-target/?=OpenDocument&pageNumber=1.
The current number of people employed in the Civil Service who have declared a disability is currently 4.6 percent.
