Joint Committee on Disability Matters publishes its Pre-Budget 2023 Submission report

The focus for the Committee for Budget 2023 is the development of a model of funding distribution in line with the UNCRPD that can deliver better outcomes for people with disabilities, and maximise people’s capacity, independence and quality of life. 

The focus for the Committee for Budget 2023 is the development of a model of funding distribution in line with the UNCRPD that can deliver better outcomes for people with disabilities, and maximise people’s capacity, independence and quality of life. 

Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Michael Moynihan said: “The Committee welcome the record overall funding of €2.2bn in 2021 for HSE-funded disability support services, an increase of €179m or almost 9% on disability spending in 2020. The Committee recommend that the Disability Budget in 2023 maintains this funding level standing at around €2.3 billion.” 

“The Committee believe that the transfer of functions from the Department of Health to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth provides a significant opportunity to transition disability services from a medical approach to a social approach where equality, person centred/individualised approach and the UNCRPD can form the basis of delivery.”

“Similar to the Pre-Budget Submission 2022, a key focus for the Committee for Budget 2023 is the development of a model of funding distribution in line with the UNCRPD that can deliver better outcomes for people with disabilities, and maximise people’s capacity, independence and quality of life. This funding redistribution must be undertaken in tandem with strengthening the link between expenditure and activity across services and service providers, to help improve monitoring and in turn value for money in disability services. The first steps towards this can be taken by developing UNCRPD compliant Equality Budgeting.”

The Committee has highlighted that the delivery of disability proofing has radically changed and that the Government must act urgently to fund and develop meaningful structures and mechanisms that enable this new governance. 

Another concern of the Committee which requires urgent attention under Budget 2023 is Children’s Disability Services and developing, funding and resourcing a model of early intervention, where intervention happens early in a child’s life (0-5yrs) and is mainstreamed across health and education services to reduce regression and deliver improved quality of life outcomes. 

Among the recommendations in the report include: 

• Urgent redistribution of funding in Budget 2023 in line with the UNCRPD to deliver better outcomes for people with disabilities, and maximise people’s capacity, independence and quality of life as highlighted by the Disability Capacity Review. 

• Equality Budgeting must be developed to deliver CRPD compliant budgeting.

• Provision of increased multi-year funding for Disabled Persons Organsiations (DPOs) to strengthen their advocacy and policy work, allow them to engage in accessible and robust internal and external consultations, and ensure they have the financial capacity to engage with multiple public bodies and processes. 

• Provision of increased funding for Disability Service Providers and Charities engaged in advocacy work to ensure they have the financial capacity to engage with multiple public bodies and processes. 

• Urgent funding for a Forum of Organisations and Parents for Children with Disabilities to ensure that the UNCRPD is aligned with legislation regarding children with disabilities and in absence of the DPCN as a DPO and considering lack of establishment of parent’s forums under the PDS model. 

• Urgent funding for disability awareness and Equality and Human Rights Training for all public sector staff. 

• In expectation of ratification of the Optional Protocol to the UNCRPD in 2022 ensure funding in Budget 2023 to ensure efficient operation of access to the complaints process and scrutiny of the UN Committee.

“The forthcoming budgetary choices will be an indicator of the State’s commitment to the UNCRPD and the fulfilment of its human rights obligations for people with disabilities,” Deputy Moynihan concluded. 

Read the report and its recommendations in full here.