Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2021
710. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way in which persons with disabilities, including children, and their representative organisations will be involved and participate fully in the monitoring process of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16934/21]
View answerParticipation in of people with disabilities and their representative organisations is a requirement under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
My Department has recently funded and established a Disability Participation and Consultation Network to act as a mechanism for ensuring people with disabilities and their representative organisations are consulted and involved in the development of policy and legislation. In addition, some Departments and Agencies have already established participation and consultation mechanisms.
The Disability Participation and Consultation Network is currently involved in carrying out consultations with people with disabilities on the State’s draft Initial State report under the UNCRPD. In addition, my Department is carrying out consultation work with children, including children with disabilities, that will inform a number of our UN reporting processes including the UNCRPD.
In addition my Department is providing funding for the Shadow Report being prepered by the Coalition of Disabled Persons Organisations.
The Programme for Government commits to the establishment of a UNCRPD Implementation plan. A key aspect of that Plan will be building an oversight mechanism. The Oversight mechanism will be designed to ensure people with disabilities and their representative organisations play a central role in monitoring progress of the plan.
Currently the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS) is the key framework for policy and action to address the needs of persons with disabilities. The NDIS supports effective progress in delivering on the obligations set out in the Convention. The Disability Stakeholder Group, which is made up of representatives of disability organisations and people with lived experience of disability, is part of the NDIS Steering Group. As such, it plays an active part in monitoring implementation of the strategy.
In respect of independent monitoring of the implementation of the UNCRPD, it is the State’s intention to designate IHREC as Ireland’s Independent Monitoring Mechanism. This designation will be provided for in legislation. IHREC has already established a Disability Advisory Committee in this regard.
