Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 75: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has had communication with the Department of Finance regarding the upward revision in line with European standards of compliance targets for the recruitment and employment of people with disabilities across Departments, which by default currently stands at just 3%. [11378/06]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister for Finance is responsible for the Government's policy on the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is responsible for the Government's policy in the wider public service. The Government's target that 3% of those employed in the Civil Service should be people with disabilities is a matter for the Minister for Finance.

While it is important that there are targets in the Government's policy, targets alone are not enough and must be supported by real and practical measures. The Department of Finance commissioned Goodbody Economic Consultants to review independently and in some detail the operation of the policy in the Civil Service. A detailed study of a number of Departments, carried out as part of that research, showed that 7% of existing Civil Service staff have disabilities, which is broadly in line with the findings of similar surveys in other countries.

The Government has examined its policy in detail in light of the research and the consultants' recommendations. It is important to emphasise the need to continue to recruit people with disabilities to work in the Civil Service and to ensure that proper supports are in place for all staff with disabilities. The Department of Finance and the Public Appointments Service are considering the development of a recruitment programme to maintain work opportunities for people with disabilities in the Civil Service. Work is under way, in conjunction with the Civil Service unions, on developing a new and detailed code of practice and a more effective approach to monitoring staff with disabilities.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment's disability liaison officer participates in the disability officers' network, which was established to share information between Departments. I understand that the Department of Finance's disability advisory officer is preparing a new code of practice and providing advice for Departments and offices.