Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 346: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism 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 which is used in the public service to meet the 3% quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34144/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The policy with regard to the 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Finance. As at 30 June 2005, 4% of the staff employed in my Department were classified as having a disability.

The definition of a person with a disability for the purposes of the 3% target is the positive action definition set out in the Code of Practice for the Civil Service, 1994. In this context, the phrase "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".

Monitoring data is not collected with reference to the nature of disabilities, persons' grades or qualifications. Only numbers are collected to provide statistics on the employment of people with disabilities in the public service.

The State bodies under the aegis of my Department are aware of the requirement with regard to the 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities but as staff recruitment is a day-to-day matter for each body I do not have details of the level of such employment in each case.

The Disability Act 2005 provides a new statutory framework for the implementation and compliance monitoring of the 3% employment target in the public service. I understand that implementation of the various provisions of the Act in this regard is currently being addressed.