Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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153. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his Department's policy for recruiting persons with a disability into the public and Civil Service. [48821/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Deputy will be aware that in recent years the position regarding opportunities for employment in the public service generally have been limited by the moratorium on recruitment and promotion which was announced on the 27th March, 2009. 

In Budget 2015, I was pleased to be able to announce that there will be a targeted programme of recruitment into the Civil Service to address service needs and a shortfall in key skills commencing in late 2014 and continuing during 2015. In respect of the Civil Service for which I have overarching responsibility, the Deputy may wish to be aware that a number of open competitions have already taken place or are in process including:

- Clerical Officer with an expectation of approximately 300 recruits

- Executive Officer ICT Specialist

- Executive Officer General Service

- Administrative Officer - Graduate Economist and Graduate Recruit General Service.

I also expect competitions to take place in the first quarter of 2015 for Assistant Principal, both open and inter-departmental, and an open competition for Principal Officer.

In respect of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities, my officials are working with the National Disability Authority (NDA) on a number of initiatives relating to recruitment of people with disabilities. These include working with the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) on a review of the Code of Practice on recruitment and with the Public Appointments Service (PAS) on recruitment models to ensure that both fully support the employment of people with disabilities in the public service.

Regarding commitments under the Disability Act 2005, a 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities in the public service remains in place, notwithstanding the moratorium.

Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 sets out the legal obligations of public service bodies

- to promote and support the employment of people with disabilities

- to comply with any statutory Code of Practice

- to meet a target of 3% of employees with disabilities

- to report every year on achievement of these obligations.

The NDA reports on compliance with this 3% target. In its latest published report in 2012, the NDA noted that in the Civil Service, the area of the public service for which I have direct responsibility, 4.2% of staff employed had disabilities.

In relation to other areas of the public service, each Minister is responsible for compliance with and reporting on the target set in the Disability Act 2005 for the employment of persons with disabilities in public bodies under his or her aegis.

A copy of the latest NDA report can be found at:

A number of Departments and Offices in the Civil Service are participants in the Willing Able and Mentoring (WAM) Programme which is a graduate work experience programme aimed at persons with disabilities.  This programme is not subject to the moratorium.  Details of WAM can be found here: .

Finally, the civil and public service is an equal opportunities employer and all recruitment campaigns are conducted in strict compliance with the Codes of Practice set out by the CPSA. The Codes include the Code of Practice governing the External and Internal Appointments of Persons with Disabilities to Positions in the Irish Civil Service and Certain Public Bodies.