Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 8 Dec 1998

Vol. 498 No. 1

Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.

Theresa Ahearn

Ceist:

311 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the recommendations contained in the report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities which have been implemented; the proposed timeframe for the total implementation in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26487/98]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

Since this Government took office, a proactive approach has been adopted in promoting equal opportunities for people with disabilities. I am determined to continue the momentum that has been generated and to make further progress in this area.

As the Deputy will be aware it was accepted by the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities in its report — A Strategy for Equality — that because of their nature a number of the 402 recommendations contained in the report would have to be implemented over time. To date, considerable progress has been made in the implementation of the report in a number of critical areas.

In so far as my Department is concerned, in November 1997 and in July 1998 we made significant announcements regarding the key infrastructural recommendations of the report relating to the establishment of a national disability authority and a disability support service.

One of the key infrastructural recommendations of the report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities related to the establishment of a national disability authority and a disability support service. On 18 November, 1997 the Government gave approval in principle to the establishment, on a statutory basis, of a national disability authority and a disability support service and it approved the formation of an establishment group tasked,inter alia, with the preparation of detailed proposals for the establishment of the NDA. Subsequently, on 27 July 1998, the Government adopted the report of the establishment group — Building a Future Together — and approved the drafting, as a matter of priority, of a national disability authority establishment Bill. The Bill, entitled “National Disability Authority Bill, 1998”, was published on 3 December and is being initiated in the Seanad.

On the issues of mainstreaming of training and employment services for people with disabilities and the provision of a comprehensive, accessible information service, it is envisaged that this will involve: (a) the transfer of vocational training and employment services from the Department of Health and Children to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; (b) meeting the information, advice and advocacy requirements of people with disabilities, their families and carers by the establishment of a new organisation under the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, which will merge the appropriate services of the National Rehabilitation Board and the National Social Services Board to form one mainstream organisation and (c) the provision within the health services of the audiology services currently provided by the National Rehabilitation Board.

Considerable progress has also been made towards achieving our commitments in relation to the issue of mainstreaming of training and employment services for people with disabilities as well as the provision of a comprehensive, accessible information service early in the new year.

The establishment of a permanent representative council of people with disabilities in 1999 is being supported by my Department and significant funding has already been made available in this regard.

Six pilot community projects relating to people with disabilities are being funded by my Department, in line with the commission's recommendations. Four of these related to access to information and participation in the local decision making process and two relate to the facilitation of cross-sectoral planning for delivery of services.

A plan of action on the rights of people with disabilities, based on the report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities is to be presented to me by the end of February next and it is my intention to submit it to Government as soon as possible thereafter.

We are also establishing a monitoring committee under the aegis of my Department to progress the attainment of the 3 per cent target for the employment of people with disabilities in the public service.

I would like to assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to radical change to ensure that the needs and aspirations of people with disabilities, their families, carers and advocates are comprehensively addressed.

Theresa Ahearn

Ceist:

312 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the interdepartmental task force to monitor the implementation of the report of Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities was established; the membership in this regard; the number and dates of meetings held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26488/98]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I presume that the interdepartmental task force to which the Deputy is referring is that established by Government decision of 12 November 1996 and tasked with the drafting of a plan of action on the rights of people with disabilities based on the report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities. The task force is also considering, in conjunction with the commission's report, the report of the Review Group on Health and Personal Social Services for People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities — Towards an Independent Future. No interdepartmental task force was established to monitor the implementation of the report.

The following is a list of the members:—

Name	Department
Ms Sylda Langford Chairperson	Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Mr. Mairtín de Búrca	Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Mr. Pat Wylie	Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Mr. John Fitzpatrick	Finance
Ms Brid McSweeney	Finance
Mr. John Collins	Health and Children
Mr. Enda Flynn	Social, Community and Family Affairs
Ms Paula Lyons	Social, Community and Family Affairs
Ms Siobhán Kennan	Foreign Affairs
Mr. Robin McKay	Public Enterprise
Ms Mary Butler	Taoiseach
Ms Mary McCarthy	Arts, Culture, Gaeltacht and the Islands
Ms Fiona O'Dea	Tourism, Sport and Recreation
Mr. Donncha Ó Muíneacháin	Environment and Local Government
Mr. Matt Ryan	Education and Science
Mr. Ronnie Sheehan	Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

The task force met on eleven occasions to date, as follows: 21 January 1997; 18 February 1997; 8 April 1997; 13 May 1997; 5 June 1997; 3 September 1997; 23 September 1997; 30 January 1998; 18 February, 1998; 20 March 1998; 29 April 1998.

From May 1998 onwards, the attention of the task force members has been directed towards work relating to the costing of the commission report which is being conducted by Fitzpatrick Associates and which will feed into the plan of action. The plan of action is to be presented to me by the end of February next and it is my intention to submit it to Government as soon as possible thereafter.

Theresa Ahearn

Ceist:

313 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the date the national disability authority was established; the meetings held to date; the membership, functions and funding of the authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26489/98]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

On 29 July 1998, I appointed the members and chairperson of the National Disability Authority. An inaugural meeting was held on 9 September 1998 at which both myself and Minister of State, Deputy Mary Wallace, attended. I understand that the authority met again on 20 October 1998 and that its third meeting is taking place today 8 December 1998. The 20 members of the authority are as follows: Ms Angela Kerins (Chairperson), Ms Margot Davis, Mr. John O'Gorman, Mr. Brendan Ingoldsby, Ms Sylda Longford, Mr. Diarmuid Ring, Mr. Jim Casey, Ms Helen Caesar, Mr. Gene Lambert, Ms Maisie Dooley, Ms Noreen Gildea, Mr. John Dolan, Mr. Robert Grier, Ms Paula Carey, Mr John Finnerty, Ms Liz O'Leary, Ms Olive Moriarty, Mr. Matt Connor, Mr. Muris O'Donogue and Mr. Christy Lynch.

The establishment group for the National Disability Authority and a disability support service reported to Government in July 1998 with detailed proposals in relation to the role and functions of the NDA. The Government approved the establishment group's report, Building a Future Together, on 27 July and the text of the National Disability Authority Bill, 1998, has recently been published. The principal functions of the NDA will be to advise the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in relation to disability policy and to research and develop standards for services and programmes provided to people with disabilities. It will also play a key role in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of standards in services and programmes provided to people with disabilities and in promoting best practice.

The NDA will operate under the aegis of this Department and will be funded annually by grant from the budgetary allocation to the Department. An allocation of £2.021 million has been provided for the NDA in respect of 1999.

Theresa Ahearn

Ceist:

314 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress, if any, made on the issue of employment services for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26490/98]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

The establishment group for the National Disability Authority and a disability support service which reported to Government in July of this year made a number of recommendations for the mainstreaming of services provided to people with disabilities. One of these recommendations was that responsibility for vocational training and employment services would transfer from the Department of Health and Children to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with effect from 1999. This recommendation was approved by Government and the establishment group is currently working to put the necessary arrangements in place to enable the transfer to be effected at the earliest possible date.

As a result of the proposed relocation of departmental responsibility, I understand that vocational training and employment services currently provided by the National Rehabilitation Board will transfer to FÁS in early 1999.

Theresa Ahearn

Ceist:

315 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the funding to date provided to the Irish Council of People with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26493/98]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

My Department provided £398,000 to the interim Irish Council of People with Disabilities in 1997. In addition, it paid £52,000 in 1997 to the establishment group which preceded the council, for costs incurred by the group in respect of the period up to March 1997 when the provisional council was launched. Payments made by my Department to the council to date in 1998 total £327,000.

It is anticipated that over the two years the sums allocated to the council will total £1 million approximately.