Written answers

Wednesday, 27 January 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Disability Act Employment Targets

Photo of Holly CairnsHolly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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487. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the absolute and relative number of persons with disabilities employed by her Department in each of the years 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2020; if these persons are in full-time or part-time roles; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4523/21]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 requires that public bodies promote and support the employment of people with disabilities and ensure that 3% of staff employed by them are people with disabilities.

The following table provides the information sought by the Deputy including the percentage returns made to the National Disability Authority by my Department for the years in question. The Deputy should note that the numbers given only reflect employees that have declared a disability as the declaration of a disability is voluntary.

Year Staff Numbers Number of staff that declared a disability Percentage
2015 1289 52 4.03%
2016 1319 52 3.94%
2017 1372 55 4.01%
2018 1450 54 3.72%
2019 1521 58 3.81%
*2020 1367 49 3.58%

*Following the formation of the new Government the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science was established on 23rd July 2020 so the figure for 2020 is the position at 31st December 2020 for my Department only.

While all posts are classified as full-time posts a range of family friendly policies including Shorter Working Year and a variety of work-sharing patterns are available to all staff.

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