Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Compliance with Section 47 of the Disability Act 2005 requires that, unless there is a good reason for not doing so, more than 3% of staff employed in public bodies, for which the relevant Minister is responsible, are people with a disability.

As the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I am the relevant Minister for staff employed in the Civil Service.

The National Disability Authority (NDA) has a statutory role in monitoring employment of people with disabilities in the public sector, arising from Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005.

In its latest Report on Compliance, the NDA reported that 4.5% of staff employed in government Departments reported a disability and that all Departments exceeded the 3% target for the fourth year in a row.

The Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities was launched in October, 2015 and is under the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality. It sets out a ten-year approach that, amongst other things, will ensure that people with disabilities, who could and want to work, are supported and enabled to do so. As part of the Strategy, the public service employment target of people with disabilities will be increased incrementally from 3% to 6% by 2024.