Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Haddington Road Agreement (HRA) set out a series of pay and productivity measures for all public servants with the aim of reducing the pay and pensions bill in order to contribute to the required  reduction in the General Government Deficit and to support the restoration of fiscal sustainability.  One of the key measures included in the HRA relates to the working of additional hours by all public servants who were not already working a 39 hour week. For example, full-time public servants who were working 35 hours or less per week increased their working hours to 37 hours per week and those working more than 35 hours per week but less than 39 hours increased their hours to 39 hours per week.  These additional hours are required by all public servants, including those with disabilities.  

There is, however, an important provision in the Agreement that allows any staff member to opt to remain on their pre-HRA hours, albeit, with the appropriate pro-rata pay adjustment to reflect their reduced working hours.  The civil service - as is the case for all employers - is required under the Disability Act, 2005 to make reasonable accommodation to allow staff with disabilities access to equal opportunities.  Specific provisions were also included in the HRA for staff with disabilities in the context of changes to work-sharing arrangements. From 1 July 2013, new work-sharing patterns less than 50% of fulltime working hours will not be approved. However, staff with a disability who have been provided with a reasonable accommodation to work less than 50% of full time working hours will be allowed to work such a pattern, with the appropriate pro-rata pay adjustment, for as long as the reasonable accommodation is required.

 The Deputy may wish to note, that my Department which is responsible for the overall arrangements relating to employment of staff with disabilities in the civil service is strongly committed to promoting and supporting the employment of people with disabilities.  According to the latest available information, employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service reached 4.2% in 2012, which exceeded the 3% target set out in the Disability Act 2005.