Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.
Theresa Ahearn
Ceist:
317
Mrs. T. Ahearn
asked the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
if a disability equality unit has been set up in his Department; if so, if he will report on its work to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[26501/98]
A disability equality unit was established in my Department in April of this year.
The disability equality unit is responsible for the development of disability policy. It also provides the administrative backup to the work of various interdepartmental and monitoring committees concerned with matters relating to disability and its staff members actively participate in other such committees.
The DEU has undertaken the work in relation to the establishment of the National Disability Authority and the disability support service and, as the Deputy will be aware, 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. The unit is involved with the processing of the legislation which will put the authority on a statutory footing and, as the Deputy will be aware, the National Disability Authority Bill, 1998 was published recently and is awaiting Second Stage in Seanad Éireann.
Considerable progress has also been made towards achieving the Government 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. In this regard the DEU is working closely with the various Departments and agencies involved in the transfer of departmental responsibilities for a range of services to people with disabilities. This proposed transfer of responsibilities is designed to facilitate the mainstreaming of training and employment services for people with disabilities and the provision of a comprehensive, accessible information service.
Staff of the DEU are also responsible for progressing the work on 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, which is being prepared by an interdepartmental task force. The deliberations of the task force will also comprehend the report of the Review Group on Health and Personal Social Services for People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities, entitled, Towards an Independent Future. The plan 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.
They are also concerned with delivery of a myriad of programmes which include tasks as diverse as establishing and servicing a monitoring committee to progress the attainment of the 3 per cent target for the employment of people with disabilities in the public service, working with the Irish Council of People with Disabilities to facilitate the establishment of a permanent representative council of people with disabilities in 1999, for which funds are being provided by my Department, initiating and funding a range of pilot projects involving community action plans which will facilitate cross-sectoral planning at local level for the delivery of services to people with disabilities and community services projects which will facilitate access at local level by people with disabilities to information in accessible formats and promote participation by people with disabilities in local decision-making processes, organising occasions such as the Irish National Information Day on Disability and the Disability Awareness Week which will take place early in the New Year.
