Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together.

The Cabinet committee on children and education and disability oversees programme for Government commitments relating to children, education and disability and receives detailed reports on identified policy areas such as child poverty and well-being, local area disadvantage and the reform of our disability services. In addition to the meetings of the full Cabinet and of Cabinet committees, I meet Ministers on an individual basis to focus on different issues. The committee has a particular focus on the forthcoming national disability strategy. This is an important moment because it will set out the blueprint for further realisation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We have also asked the committee to focus on the ratification of the optional protocol to that convention as well, which I would like to see happen this year.

The membership of the committee comprises the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for the environment, the Minister for Transport, the Minister for Health, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Minister for Education, the Minister for public expenditure and reform, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Social Protection, the Minister for housing and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The Minister of State with special responsibility for special education and inclusion and the Minister of State with special responsibility for disability also attend those Cabinet committee meetings. Other Ministers or Ministers of State are invited to participate as required. Three meetings of the Cabinet committee have taken place since I became Taoiseach. The most recent meeting was held last Thursday, 4 July, and the next meeting will be scheduled shortly.

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