Report of the National Disability Authority (NDA) on compliance with Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 on employment of People with Disabilities in the Public Service in 2007

The National Disability Authority (NDA) today published the 2007 annual report on compliance with Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 (the Act) on the employment of people with disabilities in the public service.  The Act provides that public bodies take, in so far as practicable, all reasonable measures to promote and support the employment by it of persons with disabilities.  It also provides for a framework for monitoring the employment target for people with disabilities, currently set at 3%, in public bodies through monitoring committees in each Government Department. The NDA has an overall monitoring and reporting role under the Act. 

Commenting on the Report the Minister for Equality, Disability and Mental Health, Mr John Moloney, T.D., said "I welcome the report published by the NDA today on the employment of people with disabilities in the public service in 2007.  The public service is committed to ensuring that a positive working environment exists for people with disabilities which enables them to have fulfilling careers and gives them the opportunity to use their talents in serving the public. 

This report is not just about employment statistics but it also sets out how some organisations are showing real leadership and commitment in the employment of people with disabilities.  I am very impressed by the wide ranging examples of good practice showcased in the report which demonstrate how public sector organisations have built up a significant track record in promoting employment of people with disabilities, aiding job retention and fostering a positive work environment where diversity is respected and which ensures that employees have equality of opportunity. It is also significant that the report has identified a clear statistical link between public bodies undertaking specific measures to promote and support the employment of people with disabilities and the successful achievement of the 3% employment target."

The report provides a detailed analysis of compliance by Public bodies in meeting the statutory target and highlights the many positive action measures implemented to promote and support the employment of people with disabilities in the public service. 

The Code of Practice for the Employment of People with a Disability in the Civil Service published in 2007 is recommended by the NDA as a template for other areas of the public sector to follow.  This Code focuses on a set of principles, actions and responsibilities to be applied to each stage of career development for employees with disabilities and extensive training on the Code has been provided to relevant staff in Government Departments/Offices throughout the Civil Service.  Also the appointment of designated Disability Liaison Officers, who work with people with disabilities, is identified in the report as a positive action measure being implemented to promote the employment of people with disabilities. 

A new approach to the recruitment of people with a disability into the Civil Service is being adopted with the aim of ensuring compliance with the Act.  In the year under review a competition was held for Executive Officer in the Civil Service, which was confined to people with disabilities and a number of people from the panel have been recruited in permanent positions. Also the report notes that a number of public bodies offered work experience placements to people with disabilities, an example of which is the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) project which aims to give up to 6 months quality work experience to graduates with disabilities. Each Department/Office supported the project and 40 graduates with disabilities were successful in obtaining a paid placement within the Civil Service since 2006.

The Minister welcomed the findings by the NDA of the positive trends that have emerged in the 2007 report:

• Government Departments reported 3.8% of their employees had a disability as defined in the Act;
• Government Departments and other public bodies combined reported 2.5% of their employees had a disability as defined in the Act;
• Public bodies reported 2.3% of their employees had a disability as defined in the Act;
• Organisations that had carried out an access audit on some or all of their properties (75% of the public bodies) were more likely to have met or exceeded the target; and
• Organisations that had a written policy on employing people with disabilities or that were subject to a code of practice (84% of the public bodies) were more likely to have met or exceeded the target.
 
The Minister noted the NDA’s assessment that the Civil Service has made a strong and concerted effort to comply with the provisions of Part 5 of the Act.  The report details that all Government Departments, with the exception of two, have exceeded the target.  In relation to those two Departments that were below the target, when the rate is confined to census respondents only (the methodology used by these Departments to gather data), both Departments exceeded the target.  The Minister also noted that meeting the target was especially challenging for the very many small organisations; about one third of those reporting had less than 50 employees. 

The Minister added, "I would like to extend my appreciation to the NDA for the commitment and support displayed by them in assisting the public sector in promoting and supporting the employment of people with disabilities.  I know this has involved considerable work not only in collating the data for this report but also for carrying out the review of the first year of operation of the reporting process which has resulted in a more comprehensive analysis of compliance by public bodies.  I also wish to commend the monitoring committees for their role in this process.  This report is one which the public service as a whole can build on with the aim of making a real and tangible difference to the quality of life of people with disabilities by continuing to promote and support their employment." 

The report is available on the NDA website: www.nda.ie

18th December 2008 

 

Notes for Editors

Section 50 of the Disability Act 2005

The NDA submitted to the Minister on 24 November 2008 the second statutory report on the compliance by the public service with the employment target of people with disabilities in accordance with subsection 15(6) of the National Disability Authority Act 1999, as amended by subsection 50(2) of the Act.

Definition of disability under the Disability Act 2005

The Act defines disability as: Disability, in relation to a person, means a substantial restriction in the capacity of the person to carry on a profession, business or occupation, in the State or to participate in social or cultural life in the State by reason of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment.

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