Written answers

Tuesday, 4 April 2006

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Equal Opportunities Employment

9:00 pm

John Dennehy (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 442: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department is meeting the agreed national target figures for employment of persons with a disability; his views on whether that figure is adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13280/06]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is fully committed to the employment of people with disabilities, where possible. Its policy is to ensure that people with disabilities are facilitated with access to employment opportunities and that every necessary accommodation is made in this regard. To that end, the Department has a disability liaison officer whose role is to act as a point of contact within and between Departments for information and advice on disability. The employee assistance service plays a valuable role in this regard, as do management and staff within the Department. Disability awareness training has been provided to a number of staff in the personnel area.

The Government's 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service has a key role to play in creating employment opportunities which might not otherwise be available. The Minister for Finance is responsible for this target, which applies across the Civil Service and not just to individual Departments. The percentage of people with a disability in the Department stands at 5.08%, representing some 148 people. I am anxious to ensure that the Government target is achieved and surpassed if at all possible. The Department continues to liaise on an ongoing basis with the Public Appointments Service to recruit people with disabilities. As a result, a number of people with disabilities were recruited in the past year. The Department also employed a number of graduates with disabilities on a work placement programme during the summer, giving them valuable work experience relevant to their studies and skills. As this worked out well, I am pleased to say that we will offer further such placements this year under the willing able mentoring project, which is part funded under the EQUAL initiative.

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