Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding recruiting persons with a disability; the number of persons currently employed in his Department; the number of persons with a disability that have been employed since 1 January 2011 to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37839/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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My Department operates in accordance with the Disability Act 2005 and the Code of Practice for the Employment of People with a Disability in the Irish Civil Service to promote, support and annually report on the employment of persons with disabilities. 3% of staff in my Department in December 2011 have declared themselves as having a disability. One individual was employed by my Department for a six month period from 8th August 2011 under the Willing Able and Mentoring Programme which is a graduate work experience programme aimed at persons with disabilities.

My Department has recruited no new staff since 1 January 2012. Any recruitment to my Department will be through the Public Appointments Service, which operates a policy of equality of opportunity and selection on merit by means of fair and open competition in accordance with the Codes of Practice published by the Commission for Public Service Appointments.