Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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128. To ask the Taoiseach how his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit meet their obligations for reasonable accommodation under the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015. [23056/23]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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My Department and the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) - the body under my Department's aegis - actively support diversity and inclusion in the workplace including the employment of people with disabilities and the provision of reasonable accommodations to employees where required.

Recruitment to my Department and NESDO is, in the main, undertaken through the Public Appointments Service which plays a central role in recruiting diverse talent to take up public service employment opportunities. Their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2021-2023 aims to develop recruitment and selection processes to attract and welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds.

For the past number of years, my Department has actively participated in AHEAD’s Willing, Able, Mentoring Programme, a graduate internship opportunity for persons with a disability.

My Department and NESDO follow the Code of Practice for the Employment of People with a Disability in the Irish Civil Service in relation to raising disability awareness, providing workplace supports, the provision of training and career progression.

My Department has a designated Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) with a specific brief to provide training, support and guidance to managers and staff for the provision of reasonable accommodations. New staff are made aware of the existence and role of the DLO at induction. My Department acts on advice from the Civil Service Occupational Health Department on workplace accommodations necessary for the successful integration of employees who have disabilities / medical conditions and on the workplace rehabilitation of staff who are on sick leave including the provision of temporary accommodations.