Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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1909. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the policy regarding the employment of persons with disabilities in her Department and in each State and semi-State body under the aegis of her Department; if there is a responsibility to employ persons with disabilities to a quota of 3% of its workforce; if this quota has now been exceeded; if there has been an advertised competition relating to this quota; if not, the reason therefor; the dates and details of such competitions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27132/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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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 its employment of persons with disabilities.

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 the statutory Code of Practice;

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

- to report each year on the achievement of these obligations.

The National Disability Authority (NDA) reports on compliance with the 3% target. In its latest published report, for the calendar year 2015, the NDA reported as follows in relation to my Department and the agencies under its aegis:

Direct recruitment to my Department is conducted through the Public Appointments Service (PAS), 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. Recruitment to the agencies under the aegis of my Department is done either through PAS or on an equal opportunities basis.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities (CES) 2015 - 2024 was launched by the Government on 2 October 2015. The Government has already taken a number of key decisions as recommended in the Strategy:

- The public service employment target for people with disabilities will be increased on a phased basis from 3% to 6%;

- Special public service competitions for people with disabilities will be arranged and alternative recruitment channels for people with disabilities will be opened up.