Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 145: To ask the Minister for Finance if there is an upper limit on the grade which can be obtained within the civil service by a person with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33819/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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There is no upper limit on the grade which can be obtained within the Civil Service by a person with a disability.

Recruitment to and promotion within the Civil Service is governed by the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004 and by the Civil Service Regulation Acts, 1956 -2005. The 2004 Act provides for the establishment of the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) and of the Public Appointments Service (PAS). The CPSA publishes codes of practice prescribing the necessary standards of probity, merit, equity and fairness to be applied by all those carrying out recruitment and promotion under the terms of the Act. The PAS provides a centralised recruitment, assessment and selection body for the Civil Service.

The Civil Service is an equal opportunities employer. Departments and Offices are required to apply the CPSA Code of Practice 01/06 entitled "External and internal appointment of persons with disabilities to positions in the civil service and certain public bodies" to matters relating to "recruitment and appointment of persons with a disability". The Code requires Departments and Offices to see that "all reasonable efforts" are made to meet the special requirements to which some disabilities give rise so as to maximise access to employment in the Civil Service for people with disability.

Recruitment competitions run by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) are open to all candidates, including those with disabilities, subject to their meeting the eligibility requirements of the competition. Competitions for promotion that are confined to existing civil servants are open to all candidates subject to their meeting the eligibility requirements of the competition.

Application forms invite candidates to indicate any special requirements they may have when undergoing the selection process and every effort is made to facilitate these requests by the competition managers.

A new approach to the recruitment and placement of people with a disability in the Civil Service is currently being developed with the aim of ensuring that 3% of all recruits to the Civil Service are people with a disability. It is envisaged that this approach will provide for the holding of recruitment competitions confined to candidates with a disability and for the setting up, in regular recruitment competitions, of sub-panels for such candidates. Preparations are at an advanced stage for the holding of a recruitment competition for appointment to the grade of Executive Officer confined to candidates with a disability. It is intended that the competition will be advertised before the end of 2006.