Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Again, I thank the Senator for raising the issue. I will not ask what Department was involved but the situation she described, frankly, was unacceptable. I reiterate what I said earlier. The Employment Equality Acts oblige employers to take reasonable steps to accommodate the needs of both employees and job applicants with disabilities, except where to do so would impose a disproportionate burden on them. Under section 47(l)(a) of the Disability Act 2005, a public body shall, "in so far as practicable take all reasonable measures to promote and support the employment by it of persons with disabilities". It is not clear to me that the public sector employer the Senator referenced in that case has done these things. Perhaps the employer has, but perhaps not. Each Department has legal responsibilities in this regard, and that is the nub of our response to this.