My Department has responsibility for disability equality policy and legislation and has been active in promoting disability awareness. The policy of mainstreaming services for people with disabilities was introduced in June 2000. As a result, responsibility for the provision of services for people with disabilities rests with the mainstream body responsible for providing the service generally. Elements of this question relating to specific services are outside the remit of my Department and should be referred to the relevant Minister with overall responsibility for the service in question.
In relation to legislation, the Government intends, as promised in the Agreed Programme for Government, to bring forward a disability Bill which includes provisions for rights of assessment, appeals, provision and enforcement. The Bill is being finalised and will be published as soon as the Government has completed its work.
In the last number of years, in co-operation with the European Commission, my Department organised the Irish national information day on disability. Each year, a particular theme is chosen for the day. Themes to date have included: Progress Through Partnership — 24 November 1997; Progress Through Employment — 30 November 1998; Building a Future Together — 29 November 1999; Information Technology — Access for All — 27 November 2000. This took place simultaneously in three locations — Dublin, Sligo and Ennis; Design for All — 22 October 2001; "Do they take sugar?" — a television programme, aired on Network 2 on 3 December 2002 at 9 p.m.
In 2003, my Department chose to focus the national information day on the public sector. More than 200,000 brochures were distributed to public sector employees to inform and raise awareness of disability issues.
The year 2003 was European Year of People with Disabilities. Ireland and our EU partners worked together to create awareness about disability issues among the population at large and, more important, to promote awareness of the right of people with disabilities to equal opportunities and protection against discrimination. My Department designated the National Disability Authority, NDA, as the national co-ordinating body. The NDA chaired the national co-ordinating committee which co-ordinated events for the year in Ireland. The members of the committee represented disability organisations, the social partners, Departments and the media. My Department was represented on the committee which focused on four particular themes for the year — awareness raising; youth and disability; rights, partnership and responsibilities; and employment. The committee supported a wide-ranging programme of projects nation-wide to highlight the aims of the year.
My Department funded other initiatives and events to publicise the year, including the Youth — Beyond Disability seminars, organised by People with Disabilities in Ireland; a calendar, in conjunction with PwDI; and the Design for All exhibition in partnership with the Office of Public Works. My Department continues to be active in promoting disability awareness. A television programme title "Three 60" is currently airing on RTE television on Monday evenings at 7.30 p. m. which has been supported by funding from my Department.
