Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2019
111. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number or percentage of employees in his Department and in the agencies under his aegis with intellectual disabilities; his plans to increase this number to promote and support the employment of persons with intellectual disabilities as outlined in the Disability Act 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17484/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra112. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his Department and the agencies under his aegis track the numbers of employees they have with an intellectual disability; his plans to do so in order to help set targets and increase workplace opportunities for those with intellectual disabilities such as those outlined in the national disability inclusion strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17501/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 112 together.
In compliance with Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005, the Department of Defence has undertaken, where practicable, to promote and support the employment of people with disabilities. The Department continues to operate in a non-discriminatory environment in accordance with the Equality Acts and aims to ensure that the principles of employment equality are implemented in recruitment, promotion, training and work experience.
In compliance with the 2005 Act my Department prepares an annual return detailing the number and percentage of staff that self declared in the previous year the fact they have a disability. The Department of Defence's return for 2018 confirmed that the number of civil service staff employed by the Department of Defence at 31st December 2018 was 355, of which 15, or 4.2%, self-declared a disability.
In addition to civil servants my Department employees civilian employees who work in various military facilities across the country. At 31 December 2018 the number of civil employees employed by my Department was 431 employees. Of these 431 employees, 29, or 6.7%, self declared a disability.
As staff, whether they be civil servants or civilian employees, are not required to provide details of the disability they declare, the Department is not in a position to say how many of those that have self declared a disability have an intellectual disability.
The only State body under the aegis of the Department of Defence is the Army Pensions Board which is an independent statutory body established under the Army Pensions Act 1927. The only staff post is the secretary to the Board, which is provided from the staff of the Department.
