Madam, - John Kelly's article "Compliance targets should match the national average" (Opinion & Analysis, February 7th) gives an incomplete impression of Government policy on the employment of people of disability in the civil service. Far more is being done by the Government than is mentioned in the article.
Employment of people with disabilities has been part of human resource policy in the civil service since the 1970s, when the 3 per cent target was established. Government Departments employ significant numbers of people with disabilities - opportunities which might not otherwise be there unless the Government had acted.
To ensure the policy was working properly, the Government commissioned independent research from Goodbody Economic Consultants into the employment and career progression of civil servants with disabilities.
The consultants carried out a detailed examination of a number of Departments and, using well-established survey methods in what is a very sensitive area, gave staff opportunities to report disability. The study showed that 7 per cent of existing civil service staff have disabilities. It seems clear that the difference between this number and the lower figures reported by Departments in their formal returns has to do with the issue of identifying and recording disability.
Following the study, the Government took action to improve the operation of the policy. In particular, it decided that there would be specific and targeted recruitment arrangements to maintain work opportunities for people with disabilities in the civil service, and that support services should be improved, with, among other things, development of a new and detailed code of practice.
Work is well advanced on the development of a new code of practice in conjunction with the civil service unions. Advice is being obtained from expert organisations on the new code. It is important that the code takes account of new approaches to the recruitment of people with disabilities, and on the supports which staff have a right to expect should be available when they are in employment.
To give a further example of what is being done, the Department of Finance now has a disability advisory officer who is preparing the new code of practice and developing a more effective approach to recording data. A disability liaison officers' network involving all Departments was set up to share knowledge and good practice.
The Government and the Minister for Finance are strongly committed to the policy. As John Kelly's article makes clear, it is important that the policy should include employment targets which create opportunities that might not otherwise be available. However, targets on their own are not enough - they have to be supported by measures which will have a real and practical effect, the kind of measures which the Minister for Finance and the Government are now putting in place. - Yours, etc,
JOHN CONLON, Press Officer, Department of Finance, Dublin 2.