Seán Sherlock
Question:69. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration if he has taken formal responsibility for disability matters. [31349/20]
View answerTuesday, 20 October 2020
Questions (69)
Written answers
Following the Government announcement of June 27, 2020, a number of functions are to transfer to my Department. This involves transferring responsibility for disability policy from the Department of Justice and for disability services from the Department of Health.
A Transfer of Functions Order in relation to disability policy has just recently been made and with effect from 14 October 2020. This includes responsibility for the co-ordination of Government policy in relation to the promotion of, and support for, equal participation in society of people with disabilities. Coordination of two important national strategies are included – the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS) 2017 – 2021 and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) for People with Disabilities 2015-2024.
Policy matters arising from Ireland’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in March 2018 now also fall under my Department and in addition to this, the National Disability Authority has transferred under my remit.
The next step in implementing Government instructions is to transfer disability functions currently vested in the Minister for Health. The transfer involves over €2bn of funding and there are a number of individual Health Acts, administrative schemes and legacy considerations that need careful consideration prior to making this transfer happen. As a result, this is a very significant and complex transfer of functions and it is very likely that amendments to primary legislation will be required.
In the interim, the Minister for Health retains statutory responsibility for health related disability services. In order to ensure that the Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Disability is able to perform her functions as agreed by Government, the Minister for Health has delegated his responsibility for disability functions to the Minister of State from 22 September 2020.