My Department is committed to working to ensure that services and information can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of their age, ability or disability.
In developing our communications, we use the guidelines outlined in the Customer Communications Toolkit for the Public Service - A Universal Design Approach. The guidance in this toolkit is based on a Universal Design approach promoted by the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (CEUD) at the National Disability Authority (NDA).
Primary application forms in my Department are designed to be as accessible as possible and follow the guidelines of the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform, as set-out in its Plain English Style Guide for the Public Service. We also work with the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA). They provide Plain English training for staff as well as input on accessibility when developing our forms and other customer materials, e.g. ‘Your Guides to our Schemes and Services’, and the Illness, Disability and Caring guide.
The all-of-government platform gov.ie is partially compliant with the AA Standards under the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 international guidelines, to ensure the website is accessible for people with disabilities. We will continue to work with the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) to improve the accessibility and usability of gov.ie and have committed to reducing our use of PDFs on the website due to their inaccessibility, as text is not searchable on a page. PDFs can be an obstacle for people with disabilities mostly because they don’t support assistive technology. Our content on this site is also developed using Plain English and regularly updated in line with customer feedback and comments provided by site users. We have an accessible ‘request an application’ form, which is interactive, on gov.ie.
The Department has developed the MyWelfare platform as the online home of welfare services and is committed to making the information on MyWelfare accessible to all, regardless of ability. In order to achieve this, we have designed MyWelfare to follow guidelines set out by the W3C (the World Wide Web Consortium). The W3C WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative) produces accessibility guidelines that are an internationally recognised benchmark of accessibility. In designing new services for MyWelfare, the Department continues to engage with customers and stakeholder groups to assist in the design and testing of prototypes to help shape online services in a customer centric manner. MyWelfare’s accessibility statement includes a statement of commitment and a compliance status statement as required under the European Union (Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies) Regulations 2020.
We have appointed Access Officers to provide or coordinate assistance and guidance for people with disabilities so they can access the services and information we provide. This is in accordance with section 26(2) of the Disability Act 2005. A list of our Access Officers and their contact information is available online at gov.ie.
Delivering on the commitments in our Customer Action Plan, we are in the process of introducing sensory rooms, and JAM (Just a Minute) cards to our network of Intreo Offices, to provide space, and extra time or assistance to those who need it. Maintaining accessible services is an ongoing process and as part of this process we continue to investigate any barriers to accessing our information and service and regular stakeholder engagement plays an important part in this.
A Saver Clause exists in social welfare legislation (section 159 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005) for customers who are transferring from Disability Allowance to State Pension Non-Contributory. This ensures that the weekly rate of State Pension Non-Contributory shall be greater than or equal to the rate of payment that the customer was entitled to receive on the other scheme, prior to their 66th birthday. The Saver Clause will only apply where a person has an entitlement to State Pension Non- Contributory, therefore if a customer's means exceed the limit, a saver cannot be applied.
In terms of Household Benefits, those transferring from Disability Allowance to State Pension retain their Household Benefit entitlements assuming that there has been no material change in their circumstances. Similarly, other secondary supports such as Fuel Allowance, the Living alone increase and Free Travel would also likely continue past 66 provided the conditionality continues to be met.
Costs for implementation are covered within my Department's administrative budget. I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
