David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 834: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the definition of disability used in the public service in relation to the 3% employment quota as introduced by the Disability Act 2005; if this target has been met in all areas of the public services; the monitoring and review mechanisms in place to monitor same. [34398/07]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 928: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, further to Parliamentary Question No. 183 of 7 November 2006 regarding fulfilment of the 3% employment quota for people with disabilities under the Disability Act 2005, if all public service bodies have reported to their relevant monitoring committees as required under section 48 of the Act; if these reports in relation to 2006 were all furnished to the relevant Minister and the National Disability Authority before 30 June 2007; the findings of same in relation to fulfilling the quota; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34399/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 834 and 928 together.

The Disability Act 2005 provides that "disability in relation to a person, means a substantial restriction in the capacity of the person to carry on a profession, business or occupation in the State or to participate in social or cultural life in the State by reason of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment".

Part 5 of the Act provides a framework for monitoring the employment target, which stands at 3%, in all public bodies through monitoring committees under the aegis of relevant Ministers of the Government. Under the Act, public bodies are required by 31 March each year to submit reports to monitoring committees on their compliance with the target; the monitoring committees are required to report on such compliance by 30 June each year to the relevant Minister and the National Disability Authority. The Authority has an overall monitoring and reporting role under the Act.

The National Disability Authority has prepared its first report under Part 5 of the Act on the employment position in 2006. This report was recently submitted to the Minister of State, Dr. Jimmy Devins, T.D. who has arranged for submission of it to the Government. Copies of the report, when published by the Authority, will be forwarded to the Oireachtas library. The National Disability Authority is undertaking a review of the first year of monitoring and reporting on the requirements and will report to the Minister of State in relation to this in due course.