Bernard Allen
Ceist:3 Mr. Allen asked the Taoiseach the percentage of the total work force in his Department who are registered disabled people.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Departmental Staff.
The number of disabled people employed under my Department represents 4 per cent of the total number of staff.
I gcás Roinn na Gaeltachta is é an céatadán ná 1.43.
Is the Taoiseach aware that in the reply I got yesterday to 14 questions for written reply covering the whole range of Government Departments the biggest employer of disabled persons were the Department of Defence with 4.68 per cent and the lowest were the Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications with 0.47 per cent? Is he aware there is a great need in some Departments to increase the percentage of disabled persons? What targets have the Government set for the employment of disabled persons in Government Departments? What target is he hoping to achieve?
The target is a longstanding one of 3 per cent. I accept that in some Departments the situation is not satisfactory. To some extent that arises from the embargo on public service recruitment. The Deputy can readily appreciate that the embargo would have a restricting and damaging effect on the employment of disabled persons. At the moment we are considering that situation.
Will the Taoiseach agree that the average is 2.2 per cent across all the Departments? In what timescale does the Taoiseach hope to achieve the target of 3 per cent?
I cannot give the Deputy a timescale at this stage because a number of factors affect the situation. The Deputy for instance, instanced the Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications. That is a newly formed Department and therefore probably suffered more in this regard under the embargo. I assure the Deputy that the impact of the embargo is being studied and we hope to take some action on it fairly soon.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, which is a longstanding Department, had a percentage of .63 per cent. In real terms that is about five disabled persons in a staff of 787. I would ask for an improvement.
I am afraid the Deputy is imparting information rather than seeking it.
On the other hand in my Department there are 28 people out of a total of 769. The Deputy should look at the Department of Foreign Affairs who have a great deal of mobility internationally.
The Taoiseach is setting a good example.