Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 445: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the percentage of persons, with disabilities employed in her Department and in each body under her 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [34149/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The details sought by the Deputy are as follows. The guidelines for monitoring the employment of people with disabilities by public bodies are set out in the Code of Practice for the Civil Service 1994. Information on the nature of staff disabilities, by grade or by specific qualifications is not collected.

The definition of a person with a disability for the purposes of the 3% target is set out in the Code of Practice for the Civil Service 1994. The term "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.

Some 2.7% of staff working in my Department are known to have a disability, and of these 6.8% of staff with a disability working in the administration grades are in a managerial position, 23% of staff with a disability in the technical, veterinary and inspectorate grades are in a managerial position, 9% of staff with a disability are working in industrial grades and 34% of staff with a disability have a third level qualification.

Details of people with disabilities working in the State bodies under the aegis of my Department are as follows: An Bord Bia, 1.9%; National Milk Agency, nil; Coillte, nil; Irish National Stud, 1.7%; and Teagasc, 1.7%.