Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 July 2021
210. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the way her Department and public bodies and agencies under her remit are implementing Action 32 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 (details supplied). [38506/21]
View answerUnder the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (2017-2021) each government department is required to have a consultative committee to oversee and monitor implementation of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS).
Membership is drawn from members of the Disability Stakeholders Group (DSG) who are appointed by the Minister for Disability, key agencies of each Department, as well as departmental representatives. My Department’s consultative committee includes representation from the DSG, the National Disability Authority, the National Council for Special Education, the National Educational Psychological Service, the Inspectorate and representatives from across the wider Department.
The Committee which is chaired by my Department, adapts a collaborative approach with its stakeholder members, agreeing meeting content and topics for discussion in advance of each meeting. More recently, it has agreed to include a thematic approach to a number of meetings, providing a forum whereby officials from particular areas are invited to attend the meeting and to discuss particular actions and provision as set out in the NDIS. So far this year, my Department’s Committee has met three times. The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for 1 September.
I can also advise that Section 22 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004 provides for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to establish a consultative forum, for the purposes of consulting in relation to matters concerning the education for persons with special educational needs.
The consultative forum includes representatives from the National Disability Authority, parental representatives, and voluntary bodies whose objects relate to the promotion of the interests of, or the provision of support services to, persons with disabilities.
In establishing the forum, the NCSE also has regard to the desirability of there being members of the consultative forum persons who themselves have special educational needs, their parents and representatives.
Officials from my Department, and myself as Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, also meet regularly with disability representative organisations, and parental representative bodies, to discuss issues in relation to the provision of education for children with special educational needs.
