asked the Minister for Labour to what degree the various Government Departments and local health authorities have honoured the commitment to reserve an agreed percentage of jobs for the disabled; and if the commitment has not been honoured, the action he proposes to take to correct the position.
Written Answers. - Jobs for Disabled.
548.
A quota of 3 per cent was decided by the Government in 1977 as the target for the employment of disabled persons in the public sector. Progress is being achieved through holding special recruitment competitions confined to disabled persons and by giving special consideration to suitable disabled persons in the case of jobs not filled by competition.
Up to 300 disabled persons have been recruited so far through special competitions. At the end of December 1983, the total number of disabled persons in the public service, including those who became disabled since recruitment, stood at 2,700.
While I am satisfied that significant progress was made initially I am aware that the restrictions generally on recruitment to the public service have had serious repercussions for the quota. At my request, a special competition for the recruitment of disabled clerical assistants to the Civil Service will be held shortly. I also understand that the Minister for Health raised the issue recently with the chief executives of the health boards and exhorted them to take all steps possible to increase their intake of disabled persons.
I have also asked the inter-departmental committee responsible for reviewing progress on the quota to consider what further steps should be taken to increase the intake of disabled persons to the public service.