Written answers

Wednesday, 30 January 2008

Department of Education and Science

Equal Opportunities Employment

8:00 pm

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 1076: To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 281 of 23 May 2006, if she is satisfied that her Department has met the 3% employment quota for people with disabilities; the percentage of people with disabilities employed in her Department; the number of people with disabilities hired from outside the civil service for each of the years from 2002 to date in 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2587/08]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In accordance with the requirements of Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 my Department reported to the monitoring committee in the Department of Finance in 2007 on its compliance with the 3% requirement. This report formed part of the data supplied to the National Disability Authority (NDA). The NDA has presented its 2006 Report On Compliance with Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 on Employment of People with Disabilities in the Public Service to the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability and Mental Health.

In common with all Government departments my Department derived the statistical information which formed the basis of its report to the monitoring committee from the result of the "Count Me in Survey" devised by the National Disability Authority (NDA). Twenty seven per cent (27%) of the staff of my Department responded to the survey. Of the 27% of staff who responded 7.34% disclosed a disability. If the number of returns disclosing a disability is set against the total number of employees of the Department, this 7.34% reduces to 1.97%. The "Count Me in Survey" was circulated to all staff of the Department. This was done on two occasions in an attempt to maximise the number of completed survey forms returned.

Concerns regarding the reliability of the statistical information produced using the methodology employed in 2006 have been expressed by a number of sources including the NDA itself in its report the Minister of State, where it points out that the data as compiled and presented must be treated with caution. I understand that the NDA is in process of developing an alternative data collection process for 2007.

In previous years — prior to using the "Count Me In" survey which limited inclusion in statistics to employees who self disclose a disability — a number of employees in addition to those who self-disclosed in response to the "Count Me In" survey were included in statistical returns on the basis that they were initially recruited through competition confined to people with disability and/or because workplace adjustments had been made for them. If account is taken of these employees who did not complete the "Count Me In" survey the percentage of people with a disability employed by my Department rises to 3.44% of the total number of employees.

The Public Appointments Service (PAS) recruits most of the staff for my Department. My Department conducts a very limited level of recruitment and this is confined to certain posts such as service posts and temporary and contract posts. Both the PAS and my Department conduct recruitment in line with codes of practice set out my the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA), these codes include a code specifically on the external and internal appointment of persons with disabilities to positions in the civil service and certain public bodies. In 2006 the PAS held an open recruitment competition at Executive Officer level for people with disabilities. I would anticipate that my Department will be in a position to offer posts to some of those candidates who were successful in this competition as soon as there is a panel in place.

My Department has not compiled or maintained records on the disability status of new recruits.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.