Vol. 497 No. 4
5 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he will implement the report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25268/98]
Much has been achieved in the area of disability since the Government took office and I am committed to continuing the momentum that has been generated and to making further progress in this area. There has been significant progress in the implementation of the report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities. In November 1997 and July 1998 we made significant announcements regarding the key infrastructural recommendations of the report relating to the National Disability Authority and a disability support service.
Considerable progress has also been made towards achieving our commitments on the issue of mainstreaming training and employment for people with disabilities and the provision of a comprehensive information service. The establishment of a permanent representative council of people with disabilities in 1999 is also being facilitated and funded by my Department. In addition, six pilot projects relating to people with disabilities are being funded by the Department in line with the commission's recommendations. Four relate to the information area and two relate to the cross-sectoral planning for delivery of services, such as in the transport area.
A plan of action on the rights of people with disabilities, based on the report, is to be presented to us by the end of next February and it is our intention to submit that to Government as soon as possible thereafter.
We are also involved in monitoring the 3 per cent quota for people with disabilities in the public service and are in the process of establishing a monitoring committee in that regard. Much has happened in this area, particularly with the announcement of the National Disability Authority and the disability support services and all that will happen in terms of building a future together for the equality of people with disabilities.
We have allocated £160,000 to four of the pilot projects and £45,000 to the other two. The commission also recommended community action plans. I assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to radical change to ensure the needs and aspirations of people with disabilities, their families, carers and advocates are comprehensively addressed. We are working across all Departments to ensure the recommendations made by the commission are implemented.
Progress is not nearly as good as the Minister of State claims. She has now set up a monitoring committee on the implementation of the proposals of the commission. I understand that committee has not met since approximately last Easter. In the meantime, who is monitoring implementation of the report? I understand the NDA, when it is up and running, will monitor it but it will not be in a position to do so until next February or March. It is worrying that almost a year will have passed without an independent body to monitor implementation of the recommendations of the commission. I hope the Minister of State is not happy with a system whereby one monitors one's own recommendations. If that is the case, there is no guarantee that the recommendations of the commission are being implemented.
In view of the statement she made, is the Minister of State aware of the disenchantment caused by the slow implementation of those recommendations? Is she not even a little embarrassed that in the past two weeks the Irish Wheelchair Association protested on the streets of this city and last week 600 people from the national representative council protested outside Buswells claiming their rights?
Is the Minister of State aware of the very adverse and damaging publicity the Irish Council for People with Disabilities is unfortunately receiving at the moment and of the bad image being presented? Is she satisfied that the steps she is taking are necessary to ensure we will have a permanent council soon? When will she report on her investigations and will she publish that report?
What difference will the National Disability Authority, on which we will depend to ensure the recommendations of this report are implemented, make? When will it be set up and when will it meet? Can the Minister of State assure me she will make adequate funding available to ensure the NDA will be able to act as an independent, efficient and successful monitoring body of the report of the commission?
I will go through the Deputy's queries on monitoring. A monitoring committee was set up in my Department to monitor the recommendations of the commission report. That committee has met on eight different occasions throughout the year and has had a valuable input into what is happening with the interdepartmental task force on the plan of action. Much has been happening, including information as regards the Employment Equality Act. Much advice came from the monitoring committee.
The Deputy is right to raise the question of what will happen in the future as regards monitoring in this area now that the National Disability Authority has been established. The role of the National Disability Authority includes monitoring as well as the setting of standards, research and policy. We have provided ample funding with just over £2 million provided in the 1999 Estimates for the National Disability Authority. The authority had its first meeting in September and although the legislation is due in the House prior to Christmas, the authority continues to meet so as to be ready for its establishment on a firmer footing.
The existing monitoring committee has done all the work it can in terms of paving the way for the plan of action which will come to us in February. The monitoring committee will meet again when it has a final plan of action but in the meantime, all its work has been done and has been fed to the Department.
