Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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156. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade 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. [23048/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs is committed to equality of opportunity for all in terms of its recruitment and employment practices. My Department strives to provide a safe and healthy working environment for all staff, and to create a culture where employees feel comfortable in sharing details of their disability so that reasonable accommodations can be put in place.

The provision of reasonable accommodations is a key element in supporting new staff with a disability and existing staff who acquire a disability. In my Department, the provision of reasonable accommodations required to support a staff member with a disability is managed primarily through my Department’s HR Division and Disability Liaison Officer (DLO). My Department also liaises closely with the Office of the Chief Medical Officer and the Civil Service Employee Assistance Service regarding staff who may require reasonable accommodations on return from long term sick leave.

All employees are provided with the opportunity to request reasonable accommodations and/or share their disability status to assist them with their work during the recruitment process, upon joining the Department, and throughout any stage of their employment.

Reasonable accommodations are provided on a case-by-case basis, depending on the nature of the accommodation, and relevant medical advice. They may require further input and support from a number of areas including Health and Safety Management, Facilities Management, ICT, and the individual’s Line Manager.

My Department is obliged to report every year to the National Disability Authority (NDA) on the number of persons with disabilities employed at 31st December. This information is published on the website of the NDA at nda.ie.