The Report on Compliance with Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 for 2021 is the sixteenth annual report by the National Disability Authority (NDA) on employment of persons with disabilities in the public sector. The NDA has a statutory role in monitoring the employment of persons with disabilities in the public sector, arising from Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005.
At the end of 2021, the total number of employees in the relevant public sector bodies was 251,552, an increase of 6,362 (+2.6%) from 2020.
In 2021, the NDA is pleased to note that the number of employees reporting a disability was 9,011 (3.6%), an increase of 1,374 (+18.0%) from the 2020 figures. The percentage of employees reporting a disability in the public sector increased from 3.1% in 2020 to 3.6% in 2021. Overall the public sector exceeded the minimum target of 3% for the eleventh successive year.
The NDA is also pleased to note that In 2021, 78 (36.5%) public bodies reported that a minimum of 6% of their employees were persons with disabilities compared to 61 (28.4%) public bodies in 2020. The NDA acknowledges the progress public bodies have made in 2021. However, we continue to advise the public sector that progress is further required in order for the sector to achieve the minimum 6% target by 2025. Therefore more public bodies need to focus on implementing practical measures to achieve this objective as advised by the NDA. Read the full report