Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 595: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the timeline in place for the publication of the National Disability Strategy alongside an implementation plan for this strategy; the level of consultation that has taken place to date with stakeholders in the disability sector, most crucially, directly with persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1065/12]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 596: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when resources will be made available to ensure delivery of the national disability strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1521/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 595 and 596 together.

The current Programme for Government commits to publishing, "following wide consultation, a realistic implementation plan for the National Disability Strategy (NDS), including sectoral plans with achievable time scales and targets within available resources and ensuring whole-of-government involvement and monitoring of the Strategy, in partnership with the disability sector". As the Minister of State with responsibility for disability, in line with this commitment, I have established and am personally chairing a new National Disability Strategy Implementation Group, which held its inaugural meeting on 30 November. This Group includes representatives of relevant Government Departments; the National Disability Authority, which is the lead statutory agency and the County and City Managers Association. It also include the Disability Stakeholder Group, which includes representatives of service users and service providers as well as a number of people living with disabilities, which I have appointed in their personal capacity.

The NDSIG is in the process of developing the required Implementation Plan for the NDS which will then be implemented over the lifetime of this Government. It is the responsibility of each relevant Minister and their Department to make adequate resources available to meet their Departments' commitments in the National Disability Strategy.