Michael Ring
Ceist:298 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the proposals, if any, he has put in place to deal with disability issues in every Government Department and public body. [17580/97]
Vol. 482 No. 3
298 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the proposals, if any, he has put in place to deal with disability issues in every Government Department and public body. [17580/97]
The Government is committed to ensuring that disability is placed on the agenda of every Government Department and public body. In this regard, the report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities will constitute the foundation on which the Government's future policy on disability will be based. The implementation of many of the report's recommendations would impinge on all Government Departments to some degree and an interdepartmental task force is currently preparing a plan of action on the rights of people with disabilities, based on the report.
It is in the context of the implementation of the report's recommendations, based on the plan of action as approved by the Government, that I would envisage, in the main, the advancing of disability issues in the various Government Departments and public bodies. The task force is expected to present an interim plan to Government shortly and it is my intention to have the final plan of action completed as soon as possible thereafter.