Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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293. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the policy of local authorities in respect of employing persons with a disability, for example, Down syndrome; if the person with the disability would be required to have been signed off by their service provider before being employed by the local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19980/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Under the Disability Act 2005, civil and public sector bodies including local authorities are obliged to meet a target of 3% employment of staff with disabilities, unless there are good reasons for not doing so. The National Disability Authority (NDA) reports on achievement of this obligation across the public service on a yearly basis and in this context, the Local Government Sector has exceeded the 3% target on a consistent basis. Under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, it is a matter for the Manager to make such staffing and organisational arrangements as may be necessary for the purposes of carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible.