Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 March 2023
293. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the obligations of housing authorities under the Disability Act 2005 to provide reasonable accommodation and services to individuals with disabilities. [15067/23]
View answer295. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures that are in place to ensure that housing authorities are complying with their legal obligations to provide suitable housing for individuals with disabilities. [15069/23]
View answer296. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way the Government is working to improve communication and transparency in the housing application process for individuals with disabilities. [15070/23]
View answer297. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the support available for families with children with disabilities who require suitable housing; and how can they access this support. [15071/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 293, 295, 296 and 297 together.
The Disability Act 2005 places a statutory obligation on public bodies, including local authorities, to support access to services and facilities, for people with disabilities. Disabled people are entitled to apply for the full range of housing supports and when assessing applications for housing support, local authorities are required under their allocation schemes, to consider the particular needs of the disabled person to ensure that these are met when allocating a dwelling.
All local authorities have Housing and Disability Steering Groups (HDSGs) whose role is to put in place strategic plans for housing for disabled people and to monitor activity under these plans. The HDSGs are representative of disabled people as well as the Health Services Executive and the local authority and are a key driver of housing for disabled people at local level.
The National Housing Strategy for Disabled People (NHSDP) 2022-2027, was published in January 2022, and can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/60d76-national-housing-strategy-for-disabled-people-2022-2027/.
The Strategy sets out the vision for the cooperation and collaboration of Government Departments, state agencies and others in delivering housing and the related supports for disabled people over the next five years. The Strategy operates within the framework of Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland which is committed to ensuring that affordable, quality housing with an appropriate mix of housing design types provided within social housing, including universally designed units, is available to everyone in Irish society, including those with disabilities and older people.
Work has been advanced on finalisation of the Implementation Plan for the Strategy, following which my Department will engage further with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, for publication as soon as possible thereafter. In parallel, The Housing Agency is developing a communication strategy on the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People and its accompanying Implementation Plan.
