The recommendations of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities, which deal with rights to health and social services are contained primarily in Recommendations Nos. 31, 41, 43, 44, 45, assessment of needs, and Recommendation No. 53, cost of disability payment. The recommendations envisage a broad based assessment of needs procedure underpinned by a graduated cost of disability payment where services are not or cannot be provided. The implementation of these recommendations are primarily matters for the service-providing Departments and agencies involved.
The role of my Department is to guide and monitor progress in relation to implementation of the recommendations of the report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities. I am aware that the Department of Health and Children is already active in implementing assessment of needs procedures for people with intellectual, sensory and physical disabilities.
The National Intellectual Disability Database was established in 1995 under the aegis of the Department of Health and Children to provide comprehensive and accurate information for decision-making in relation to the planning, funding and management of services for persons with intellectual disability. The objective of the database are: to improve the accuracy of data available to health boards on the population of people with an intellectual disability; to assess the needs of clients with an intellectual disability; and to support planning for the future development of services.
The physical and sensory database development committee was established in December, 1998 under the aegis of the Department of Health and Children to prepare detailed proposals for the development of a national database on the specialised health and personal social service needs of persons with physical or sensory disability. Four sites have recently been chosen for the implementation of phase one of the database, which will ensure that accurate and standardised information is collected.
I am also aware that the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness contains a commitment that "the Department of Health and Children, the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and the Department of Finance will set up and participate in a Working Group which will consult with the social partners to examine the feasibility of introducing a Cost of Disability Payment".
