Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Finance the percentage of persons with disabilities employed in his Department and in each body under his aegis; the guidelines issued by which this data is to be recorded in the public service; the nature of the disabilities; the levels of employment; the percentage of the total numbers of persons with disabilities in each sector who are holders of third level qualifications; the precise definition of disability used in the public service to meet the 3% quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34141/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Having regard to the passage of time since the setting of the 3% target and the issue of the code of practice for the employment of people with disabilities in 1994, my Department commissioned independent research in relation to the operation of the 3% employment target within the Civil Service. A survey carried out as part of the research, Employment and Career Progression of People with a Disability in the Irish Civil Service, IPA 2002, which relied on civil servants to self-declare a disability, shows that 7% of Civil Service staff have a disability compared with the 2.8% reported in the annual survey.

Following the consultants' recommendations, the Government approved proposals to improve the operation of the policy, including the development of a new code of practice for the Civil Service and a more effective approach to monitoring staff with a disability. For this new approach to work successfully, it will be necessary to consider the use of a survey based on voluntary self-disclosure both for new staff on appointment and for existing staff. As this gives rise to a number of complex issues about confidentiality and the use of information, specific guidelines on these matters will be developed as part of the new code of practice for the Civil Service.

My Department formerly published on an annual basis, data on the employment of people with disabilities across the civil service. In line with the Government decision mentioned above, new monitoring arrangements will be introduced as part of the new code of practice and data on the 3% target is no longer collected. With regard to my Department, based on existing monitoring arrangements, the percentage of staff with a disability stands at 3.016%. The guidelines for collection of data do not provide for disclosure of information on the nature of disabilities, grade, or qualifications of individuals. The definition of "a person with a disability" set out in the existing code of practice for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service, is "people with disabilities" means people with a physical, sensory or psychological impairment which may "have a tangible impact on their functional capability to do a particular job; or have an impact on their ability to function in a particular physical environment; or lead to a discrimination in obtaining or keeping employment of a kind for which they would otherwise be suited".