Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2024
92. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if temporary staff will be employed over the summer period in the Passport Office; if the office has a specific programme for the employment of persons with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21352/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Passport Service has issued 460,000 passports to date this year and is on track to have issued half a million passports by the end of this month.
Virtually all complete passport applications are being processed within advertised turnaround times.
Adequate staffing of the Passport Service to respond to demand continues to be a priority for my Department in 2024. A competition for temporary staff took place earlier this year. The Passport Service assigned 40 Temporary Clerical Officers to its offices in Balbriggan and Dublin 2 in April and there are plans to assign additional staff in May and June.
2024 is expected to be another busy year for the Passport Service and the Passport Service is in an excellent position to meet the demand forecasted for this year.
My Department, including the Passport Service, is committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for our employees with disabilities and is committed to equality of opportunity in all its employment practices in line with the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 and Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities 2015-2024.The Department’s Human Resources Strategy 2023-2027, and Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Action Plan, include a number of actions to support greater diversity and inclusion in the workforce. All competitions are conducted in line with the CPSA Code of Practice for Appointment to Positions in the Civil and Public Service, and training is provided, including unconscious bias awareness training, to officers who sit on competition boards, to ensure applicants are assessed equitably and without discrimination in our processes.My Department provides work opportunities for persons with disabilities via the Association for Higher Education Access & Disability’s (AHEAD)’s Willing Able and Mentoring programme which aims promote access to the labour market for graduate with disabilities, and the Oireachtas’ Work Learning (OWL) programme that helps young adults with an intellectual disability find meaningful and viable permanent part-time employment. Policies are guided by the national Disability Act 2005; Employment Equality Acts and the Code of practice for the employment of people with a disability in the Irish Civil Service.
