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Departmental Strategies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 July 2021

Wednesday, 14 July 2021

Questions (265)

Holly Cairns

Question:

265. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the way his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit are implementing Action 32 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 (details supplied). [38504/21]

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Written answers

The Disability Policy Unit of my Department co-ordinates the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth's Departmental Consultative Committee (DCC). The DCC meets quarterly and in advance of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS) Steering Group, which is chaired by my colleague Anne Rabbitte T.D., Minister of State for Disability. The DCC membership includes departmental officials across a range of policy areas, representatives from the National Disability Authority (NDA) and members of the Disability Stakeholder Group who represent people with lived experience of disability and disability organisations. The DCC provides a forum to discuss the actions in the NDIS that are relevant to my Department. Members of the DCC can also suggest other agenda items as required. The terms of reference allow for the inclusion of a wider membership and this will be kept under review.

The UNCRPD requires State parties to actively involve people with disabilities in policy development (Article 4.3). It is important that the experiences and perspectives of people with disabilities are integrated into the development of policies and programmes so that they meet their needs effectively.

My Department has funded the development of a Disability Participation and Consultation Network to build capacity within the disability community so that people with disabilities and their representative organisations can participate fully. The Network was formed in late 2020 and its first task was to bring the voices of people with disabilities into consultations on Ireland’s first State Report to the UN on our progress in implementing the Convention.

The Network is now engaging in a piece of facilitated work, funded by the Department, which will aid it to put in place the working structures and practices that will allow it to carry out its role effectively.

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