The Disability Act 2005 sets out the legal obligations of public service bodies and includes:
- the promotion and support of the employment of people with disabilities
- compliance with any statutory Code of Practice
- meeting the target of 3% of employing people with disabilities and
- reporting annually on the achievement of these obligations.
The Department of Finance adheres to its requirements as set out by Disability Act of 2005. The Department has a Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) in place who works closely with the National Disability Authority (NDA) to ensure that the Department is fully compliant with its obligations under the Act. All new entrants complete a confidential disability survey which is forwarded to the DLO for actioning, where appropriate. These declarations are amalgamated with an annual survey and forwarded to the NDA as part of our annual returns.
In 2016, the Department satisfied the quota at 3%. In 2015 and 2014, the Department exceeded this quota, making returns of 4.9% and 3.4% respectively.
The Department has two bodies under its aegis. The Tax Appeals Commission (TAC) and the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA). The NTMA is responsible for its own recruitment and selection process while the Tax Appeals Commission uses the services of the Public Appointments Service.
The DLO coordinates the annual returns to the NDA for TAC and NTMA. The DLO also engages with bodies under its aegis and supplies guidance and advice when requested to do so.
The Department does not run competitions specifically for applicants with disabilities however the Department is an equal opportunities employer and we rely on the Public Appointments Service through the "Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities" in ensuring that all applicants have necessary accommodations in place for them to be able to engage with the competitions process in a fair and equal manner.
