Ms Shirley Comerford:

On Deputy Ellis's second question, on positive discrimination, we know that where we use targets and quotas, they can create a focus for people. We have had disability targets within the Civil Service and across the public sector for a number of years.

That is definitely worth considering.

We are very aware of internships and work placement programmes, which are important, but what is most important is that there is some pathway to employment. As the recruiters, we do not have responsibility for policymaking. That lies with our colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. However, we have been in discussions with the Department on the issue of pathways to employment and we have made some inroads in that regard in recent years. I would point the members to the Oireachtas work learning, OWL, programme where we have had a very positive impact. Six of the OWL graduates have gone on to employment, two with our organisation and four within the Houses of the Oireachtas. There are solutions that are being worked on to make sure we have pathways to employment. We have had similar success in other areas. We are currently looking at the willing able mentoring, WAM, work placement programme. We are hoping that, through the discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, we will be able to find a way to forge a pathway to employment. That is where we are currently with regard to that.

We are a merit-based recruitment appointment service so we need to be conscious of making sure all of our processes are compliant with codes and can stand up to scrutiny. We have had very positive experiences which we are hoping we can use in terms of the issue we are dealing with. I hope that answers the Deputy's question.