245. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Defence to report on progress to meet the commitments under the National Human Rights Strategy for disabled people; the measures taken since the strategy was introduced; the key metrics identified to measure progress; and if she will make a statement on the matter [60752/26]

My Department is an equal opportunities employer and has undertaken, where practicable, to promote and support the employment of people with disabilities. Recruitment of civil servants for my Department is undertaken by the Public Appointments Service, and is open to all applicants. Reasonable accommodations are afforded to all those employees with a declared disability.

My Department has an assigned Disability Liaison Officer (DLO). The DLO acts as a point of contact for employees with disabilities, their managers and People & Development Branch. The DLO assists and supports employees, in confidence, and their line managers by providing necessary information, appropriate contacts, guidance and advice. My Department’s DLO is a member of the Civil Service Disability Liaison Network, which promotes and disseminates best practice in relation to the employment of people with disabilities. The DLO and line managers throughout my Department work with employees with a declared disability to ensure that suitable accommodations, where practicable, are in place. Examples include access to suitable ICT applications, physical modifications to the work place and provision of training.

My Department has also participated in the Willing, Able, Mentoring programme (WAM) which is a full-time, paid, mentored work placement for graduates with disabilities. The WAM programme aims to promote access to the labour market for graduates with disabilities and assist in the integration of those with disability into the mainstream workplace. WAM Graduates undertake a 10-month work experience placement with a pathway to permanency. Additionally, my Department has also engaged with the Oireachtas Work Learning (OWL) Programme, which aims to create inclusive employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

In compliance with the Disability Act 2005, statistics on the number of staff working with a disability within my Department are compiled and submitted to the National Disability Authority annually. However, it should be noted that there is no onus on a staff member to declare a disability. The Department continues to operate in a non-discriminatory environment in accordance with the Equality Acts and aims to ensure that the principles of employment equality are implemented in recruitment, promotion, training and work experience.