Under the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities for 2015 – 2024, the Government has committed to progressively increasing the statutory target for the employment of people with disabilities from 3% to a minimum of 6% in the public sector by 2024. As a public sector organisation and equal opportunities employer, my Department is conscious of its statutory obligations and is continually working to ensure that it meets all commitments in this regard.
For the most part, staff recruitment into my Department is facilitated through the Public Appointments Service who provide reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities during their engagement with the recruitment process. In that regard, there is no designated recruitment competitions for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service.
The Department of Transport is presently subject to specific legal obligations in the Disability Act 2005 and is required to reach and maintain a 3% target for the employment of staff with disabilities.
In the most recent survey, which was conducted earlier this year, 3.05% of staff in the Department of Transport disclosed that they had a disability in accordance with the Disability Act 2005.
The Deputy will be aware that the disclosure of a disability is a confidential and sensitive matter for staff and is not mandatory and the data disclosed refers to officers who have chosen to disclose a disability as defined under the Disability Act 2005.
My Department has also participated in the Willing Able Mentoring Programme (WAM) which is a work placement programme and provides paid work placements to graduates with disabilities.
I have asked the aegis bodies to respond directly to you on this matter and if you do not hear from them within 10 days you should contact my office.
