John Gormley
Question:7 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the particular measures she is proposing to improve services from her Department in this the European Year of Disability. [8403/03]
Written Answers - Services for People with Disabilities.
While many improvements have been made in recent years in the services and supports available from my Department for people with disabilities, it is recognised that further progress needs to be made in this area. The development and enhancement of the social welfare services available for this group is an ongoing process.
As part of this process, a number of developments are planned this year which are aimed at further improving the position of people with disabilities. For instance, arrangements are being made for the take over by my Department of the spending allowances paid by or on behalf of the health boards to people in full-time residential care who are currently disqualified for disability allowance. This measure represents another step in the process of ensuring that all people with disabilities in residential settings have a legal right to income support.
In addition, the report of the Expenditure Review Group on Illness and Disability Income Maintenance Payments will be published in the coming months. This review is being undertaken as part of an ongoing series of systematic examinations of the Department's various expenditure programmes. The purpose of the illness and disability study is to take a general overview of all of the income maintenance schemes in this area. The review is examining the roles and effectiveness of the range of income maintenance payments provided by the Department and the health boards and will take close account of the recommendations of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities.
Other developments and initiatives include:
– continued and enhanced activity through the Department's employment support services at a local and regional level in progressing people with disabilities on social welfare payments into education, training and employment, as appropriate; a special Disability Information Awareness Week is being organised by Comhairle and will take place on the week beginning 8 September to mark European Year of People with Disabilities;
– the development of Comhairle's role in relation to the promotion and provision of information and other services for people with disabilities;
– the production by Comhairle of an Assistive Technology Information Database in partnership with relevant organisations;
– the production by Comhairle of a new edition of the booklet Entitlements for People with Disabilities; and
– the publication of the Department's Human Resources Strategy statement, which is based on a number of guiding principles including equality of opportunity. This strategy will address a number of areas of interest to staff with disabilities including access to promotion opportunities and career paths within the Department.