Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2023
353. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the date on which the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People Implementation Plan will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29657/23]
View answer354. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People Implementation Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29719/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 353 and 354 together.
My Department jointly published the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People (NHSDP) 2022-2027 with the Department of Health (DoH) and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) in January 2022. It may be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/press-release/1c6c5-new-national-housing-strategy-for-disabled-people-2022-2027-launched/
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.
My Department has been developing the Implementation Plan further to ensure its up to date robustness in advance of providing it to me, having very recently assumed responsibility in this area including overseeing implementation. The finalisation of the Plan has been a key priority and an urgent matter for me as Minister. My Department has engaged further with the DoH and DCEDIY, with the objective of publishing it and I, along with my colleagues, Minister Darragh O'Brien and Minister of State Anne Rabbitte, jointly launched the Implementation Plan, in conjunction with the launch of an awareness campaign, on 22 June 2023. The Implementation Plan is available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/d356f-national-housing-strategy-for-disabled-people-2022-2027-implementation-plan/
In parallel, the Housing Agency is developing a communication strategy on the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People and its accompanying Implementation Plan and is progressing much of the work contemplated in the Implementation Plan in advance of its finalisation.
