Jobs for people with disabilities available

Up to 100 clerical jobs for people with disabilities are being made available under a new equality-oriented civil service competition.

Announcing details of the scheme yesterday, Ms Mary Wallace, the Minister of State with responsibility for equality and disabilities, said it was important that all unnecessary obstacles preventing people from applying for public service positions were lifted.

"Everyone has the right to expect a good quality of life and people with disabilities have rightly come to view themselves as active citizens rather than passive recipients of services," she said.

A special panel of suitably qualified people with disabilities is to be established through the clerical officer competition. Applicants are being facilitated by the provision of enlarged scripts, braille and audio test material, interpreters for interviews, and wheelchair access to test and interview locations.

Ms Wallace said the competition would help departments comply with the Government policy of achieving a 3 per cent quota for the employment of people with disabilities. They were currently 0.3 per cent, or about 90 people, short of the target.

"It's not good for one department to have 10 per cent, carrying other departments," she added. "Three per cent should be the minimum for all departments."

The Government was seeking to make all public buildings accessible to workers with disabilities, and any which were not should be brought to her attention.

In a first for the Office of the Civil Service Commissioners, applicants can apply by telephone to (01) 661 5611 or 1-890 44 9999. Otherwise, they can complete a form which must be returned no later than Thursday, October 21st.