My Department supports the implementation of national policies and strategies designed to advance the lives of people with disabilities including those set out in the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021.
Neither my Department nor the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO), the only body under the aegis of my Department, currently provide statutory services directly to members of the public and therefore do not have a disability consultative committee. The private offices of the Taoiseach and other Ministers located in my Department do take phone calls and respond to correspondence from the members of the public on general matters and the Department has a strong commitment to customer service, including addressing any additional needs that any customer may highlight, as set out in the Department’s customer service action plan available at https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/179e67-quality-customer-service/.
The Government Information Service in my Department also has a role in publishing information for the public on www.gov.ie in relation to certain whole-of-government information campaigns such as COVID-19. Accessibility on the site continues to be improved by increasing the level of plain English used for services on the site and the undertaking of regular accessibility reviews by the Office of the Government’s Chief Information Officer who maintain the site.