Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 July 2021
243. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the way her Department and public bodies and agencies under her remit are implementing Action 32 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 (details supplied). [38516/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department sees it as critical that it engages with people with lived experience of disability to hear their experiences and perspectives in the development of policies and programmes in order to meet their needs. In addition to its broader stakeholder meetings and customer engagement activities, the Department consults with people with disabilities, through a wide range of approaches, including:
- direct meetings with stakeholders;
- research, the use of questionnaires, surveys and focus groups;
- meetings with the Community and Voluntary Pillar (CVP) twice per year;
- the annual pre-budget and post budget fora;
- the annual carers' forum;
- participation on national groups in conjunction with stakeholders, for example: the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group (NDIS-SG), and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (for people with disabilities) Implementation Group (CES-IG);
- Disability Consultative Forum (DCF) meetings. This group meets each quarter, with meetings providing a space for stakeholders to highlight concerns, discuss and raise queries with regards to services/schemes and contribute to the development of policies;
- meetings held with its dedicated Disability Consultative Committee (DCC). This committee is comprised of persons with disabilities and their representatives, who monitor the Department’s delivery of its commitments under the National Disability Inclusion Strategy. Meetings are held quarterly and the committee, through the Chair of the Disability Stakeholders Group (DSG), delivers a report to the full NDIS-SG twice a year.
The Department intends to further develop its consultative processes through engagement with the Participation and Consultation Network (PCN) established in 2020. The development of this network is being funded and overseen by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth (D/CEDIY) and the network aims to support the building of capacity within its members to participate in policy development processes, as envisaged under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UN CRPD). D/CEDIY, with the PCN, have to date been focused on the national consultation process to develop Ireland’s first State report to the UN under the CRPD, to be submitted later this year.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
