To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence to make a statement
on the implementation of the 'Towards 2016' National Disability Strategy
and in particular the objectives in the strategy which relate to
Disability, what percentage of employees in the different Government
Departments have a disability, what is the target to ensure an increase in
their representation and how does the Government intend to reach this targe
t
- Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh
Opening Response by Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence Mr Alan
Shatter TD
The National Disability Strategy was launched in September 2004 and its
implementation continues to be the focus of Government policy for the
sector. Key elements of the Strategy include the Disability Act 2005, the
Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004, the Citizens
Information Act 2007 and the Sectoral Plans of key Departments which set
out how they will deliver services for people with disabilities. However, a
specific implementation plan for the strategy had not previously been
developed. This Government is now addressing this.
The Programme for Government states that “the Government will publish,
following wide consultation, a realistic implementation plan for the
National Disability Strategy, including sectoral plans with achievable
timescales and targets within available resources and ensure whole of
government involvement and monitoring of the Strategy, in partnership with
the disability sector”.
The Minister for Disability, Equality, Mental Health and Older People,
Kathleen Lynch, has established and is chairing a new group to develop an
implementation plan for progressing the Strategy, in line with the
commitment in the Programme for Government to reenergise the Strategy and
build on the many achievements made to date. The new Group has replaced the
National Disability Strategy Stakeholder Monitoring Group while maintaining
the cross-departmental focus and the collaboration with stakeholders.
The Implementation Plan is developing well with the identification by
Departments of actions, timelines and KPIs. Discussions are ongoing between
the Disability Stakeholders Group and Government Departments in an effort
to reach agreement on the suite of actions contained in the Plan. Once all
parties are agreed on the Plan it will be published as soon as possible
thereafter.
The aim of the Implementation Plan is, through engaging with the disability
sector and building on the traditional problem-solving and constructive
approach of the community and voluntary sector, to make progress to achieve
our common interests. More targeted, innovative and flexible services,
designed and delivered on the basis of the evidence drawn from systematic
evaluation will help ensure that available resources are used to deliver
services that meet the needs of the community as efficiently and
effectively as possible. Acknowledging the current economic climate and
diminished resources available across Government, this Implementation Plan
will seek to ensure available resources are used to the best effect in
ensuring that the living standards and access to essential services for
people with disabilities are maintained.
The Implementation Group comprises the Senior Officials Group on Disability
who represent all relevant departments and agencies across Government. A
broad representation of disability organisations and the National
Disability Authority have also been appointed to the Group, as have a
number of individuals with disabilities who have been appointed in their
personal capacity to bring their lived experience to the Group.
To achieve further consultation with people with disabilities, the users of
the services provided by public bodies, Minister Lynch has also set up a
Disability Forum under the stewardship of the National Disability
Authority. The first meeting of the Disability Forum was held on the 19th
of June last year and a report of the views expressed form part of the
considerations of the Implementation Group in relation to actions in the
Implementation Plan.
The National Disability Authority, as before, is helping Departments in
setting performance indicators and outcomes for the Plan’s targets.
One-on-one meetings with Departments were held during 2012 to assist them
in identifying actions to be included in the Implementation Plan. Work by
the National Disability Authority in relation to disability indicators has
been signed off by the Senior Officials Group on Disability and the
Disability Stakeholder Group.
With regard to employment in Government Departments, the Disability Act
2005 provides that public bodies shall, as far as practicable, take all
reasonable steps to promote and support the employment of people with
disabilities. It also provides a framework for monitoring the employment
target, currently set at 3%, in all public bodies through monitoring
committees in Government Departments. The role of the monitoring committees
is to monitor, and in consultation with the National Disability Authority,
to encourage compliance with the Act by all of the public bodies under the
remits of the relevant Ministers. The National Disability Authority has an
overall monitoring and reporting role under the Act.
The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has overall responsibility
under the Act for setting and monitoring the target for Government
Departments and other bodies staffed by civil servants. Other Ministers are
responsible for public bodies that are accountable to them and each
Department and Public Body is accountable for its own performance under the
Act in promoting and supporting the employment of people with disabilities
and meeting the target.
The National Disability Authority has published a report annually on
compliance with Part 5 of the Disability Act since it became a legal
obligation in 2006. The most recent report, published in 2012, is based on
data provided for 2011 and shows that, for the first time, the proportion
of staff with disabilities reported across the public service as a whole
reached 3.1%. Government departments averaged employment of 4.2%. For a
number of years all government departments had successfully achieved or
surpassed the 3% target, however, in 2011 the Department of Children and
Youth Affairs, the newly established department with a very small
complement of staff was just below the target at 2.4%. It was the only
department not to achieve the target in 2011; all other departments
achieved compliance with percentages ranging from 3.2% to 6.6%. The Deputy
will appreciate that with the significant number of civil servants leaving
through early retirement schemes in the last number of years and the
current recruitment embargo it is a significant achievement for departments
to reach and maintain the target for employment of people with disabilities
in recent years.
I understand that the data for the number of employees in Government
Departments for 2012 is currently being collected and as such won’t be
available until the autumn, however, the
percentages achieved, according to
the report on 2011 data, by individual government departments is as
follows:
Department | %
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine | 3.2%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht | 3.2%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Children and Youth Affairs | 2.4%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Communications, Energy & Natural | 5.0%
Resources |
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Defence | 4.0%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Defence - Civilian Employees | 5.4%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Education & Skills | 3.4%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Finance | 3.9%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade | 3.5%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Health | 6.0%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation | 6.6%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Justice and Equality | 5.4%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Public Expenditure & Reform | 6.5%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Social Protection | 4.2%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of the Environment, Community & Local | 4.1%
Government |
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of the Taoiseach | 4.7%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport | 5.1%
----------------------------------------------------+---------
Total average | 4.2%