Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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658. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current 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; the disability quota of her Department at present; if there is an active campaign to increase the disability workforce from the current target of 3% to a minimum of 6% by 2024; if this quota has now been exceeded; if so, the details of same; if there has been an advertised competition in relation to the quota; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41601/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Department works to comply with its obligations in relation to the Disability Act 2005 and reports its status, in respect of individuals with disabilities, to the National Disability Authority each year. The current disability quota for the Department of Social Protection, The Pension Authority and Citizens Information Board is 3%. It is the intention of each body to achieve or maintain a target of 6% by 2024. The disability status for the end of 2020 is present in the below table.

Department of Social Protection

The Department of Social Protection continues to provide supports and adaptions in the workplace for individuals with disabilities. The Department has a dedicated Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) which has recently been incorporated into the newly formed HR Equality Diversity & Inclusion Unit (ED&I). The DLO provides supports to people with disabilities including arranging for workplace adaptions to both existing employees and new entrants. In addition to this, the ED&I Unit regularly organise awareness and educational events such as webinars accessible to all Department staff.

Disability is an integral part of the Department’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion policy. This is highlighted, in the context of the Departments commitment to the employment of individuals with disabilities, on the Departments public website. Under the Department’s employee 'Engagement and Innovation' initiative, a dedicated working group was set up in 2020 in the area of ‘Supports for Staff with Disabilities in DSP’. In accordance with the structure of this employee engagement programme, this collaborative group is represented across the grades in the Department, from trade unions, policy areas and staff with disabilities.

Recruitment for the Department is conducted by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). PAS are committed to ensuring that all competitions held are accessible to individuals who require adaptions or adjustments. The Department annually participates in the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) Programme and the Department's HR area are currently in the process of exploring participation in the Oireachtas Work Learning (OWL) Programme, which may increase the Department's direct recruitment of individuals with disabilities and provide access to development and employment opportunities within DSP.

Citizens Information Board

The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is committed to the ongoing improvement of services to people with disabilities. Robust policies and procedures are in place within CIB to ensure current staff with a disability are supported with all supports, which are reasonably expected to be provided by the employer. Since 2019 CIB has extended the reach of all job vacancy advertising involving 13 local and national services working with minority groups including those specifically working with people with disabilities. Every new vacancy is distributed to these agencies with a dedicated point of contact named should they wish to be provided with more detail. Wording on all recruitment advertising and materials has been expanded highlighting CIB not only as an equal opportunities employer but spelling out how it encourages applications from all candidates regardless of race, colour, disability, marital status, family status, gender, religion, sexual orientation, membership of travelling community.

CIB have also developed a new Diversity and Inclusion Policy, highlighting to all staff CIB’s commitment to everyone employed by CIB. Flexi time arrangements have been put in place for staff with disabilities who find it difficult to travel to and from work during peak times, Occupational Health services and employee assistance services are utilised to support any of our staff with disabilities.

All current employees have attended dedicated workshops on dignity at work. Staff who sit on interview panels have had upskilling on interview techniques in advance for interviews and CIB are currently in the planning stage of an organisation-wide rollout of workshops on Disability Awareness. As part of CIB’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme each quarter of the year is dedicated to raising awareness of supports for all staff, October to December 2021 has already been confirmed as the quarter that is dedicated to raising awareness of people with disabilities in line with December being Disability awareness month.

The Pensions Authority

The Pensions Authority is supportive of both applications to vacancies from candidates who may have disabilities and employment of individuals who may have disabilities. Furthermore, the Pensions Authority implements reasonable adjustments for current employees where they are identified/requested or if an applicant to a vacancy requires one e.g., a sign language interpreter during the interview process.