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Departmental Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021

Thursday, 9 September 2021

Ceisteanna (309)

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

309. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current policy regarding the employment of persons with disabilities in his Department and in each State and semi-State body under the aegis of his Department; the disability quota of his Department at present; if there is an active campaign to increase the disability workforce from the current target of 3% to a minimum of 6% by 2024; if this quota has now been exceeded; if so, the details of same; if there has been an advertised competition in relation to the quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41597/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My Department complies with all central policy and guidance, in relation to equality of opportunity in all of our employment practices.  The vast majority of external recruitment for my Department is carried out by the Public Appointments Service and any additional recruitment undertaken by my Department is done in compliance with the terms of the recruitment licence issued to us by the Commission for Public Service Appointments.   

Under the Disability Act 2005, public service bodies have a duty to promote and support the employment of people with disabilities and to ensure that at least 3% of their employees are people with disabilities. In addition, the Department has a statutory requirement to maintain accurate records on the number of staff with disabilities. To meet this requirement, on an annual basis, staff are requested to declare, confidentially, if they have a disability.  In 2020 the percentage of staff working in my Department with a declared disability was 6%.

Some specific measures to support the employment of people with disabilities within my Department include: 

Participation in the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) programme since 2018 offering graduates with disabilities a 6 month work placement within the Department. This programme is a collaboration between the Irish Civil Service and AHEAD (Association for Higher Education Access and Disability). 

Support for the Job Shadow Day initiative on an annual basis, as part of the national project which brings people with disabilities and local employers together for one day; for the last number of years my Department has teamed with the Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability (WALK).  Due to Covid-19 we were not  asked to participate in 2020. 

In 2020 my Department introduced its Universal Design and Accessibility Policy and Action Plan, which aims to demonstrate the Department’s commitment to accessibility, the principles of Universal Design and  reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities. 

During 2020 and 2021, my Department ran Disability Awareness Training and Autism Awareness Training, supporting our commitments under the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021.

My Department has a Disability Liaison Officer who provides additional support to staff with disabilities on an ongoing basis, providing reasonable accommodations as appropriate.  We also have a mentoring programme open to all staff.

The details requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the individual bodies concerned.  Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email addresses for each agency are set out in the table below.  

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State Body     

         Contact E-mails     

An Bord Pleanála

oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie

An Fóram Uisce (the Water Forum)

info@nationalwaterforum.ie

Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum

infodocklands@dublincity.ie

Ervia

oireachtas@ervia.ie

Gas Networks Ireland

oireachtas@ervia.ie  

Heritage Council

oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie

Housing Finance Agency

oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie

Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency

publicreps@housingagency.ie

Irish Water

oireachtasmembers@water.ie

Land Development Agency

oireachtas@lda.ie  

Local   Government Management Agency

corporate@lgma.ie

National Oversight and Audit Commission

info@noac.ie

National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee

ntacc@housing.gov.ie

Office of the   Planning Regulator

oireachtas@opr.ie

Ordnance Survey Ireland

Oireachtas@osi.ie

Property Registration Authority

reps@prai.ie

Pyrite Resolution Board

oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie      

Residential Tenancies Board

OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie

Valuation Office

oireachtas.enquiries@VALOFF.ie

Valuation Tribunal

info@valuationtribunal.ie

Water Advisory Body

info@wab.gov.ie

Waterways Ireland

ceoffice@waterwaysireland.org

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