Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator very much for raising this issue. It is funny - I will not say funny - but I was wondering what the context behind it was when I was reading the response from the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, who is currently attending an Oireachtas committee hearing. He apologises for not being here. I want to thank Niamh and Lorna for raising this with the Senator. This is not lived experience. This is actually living experience. This is what they are living with every day of the week when trying to navigate things we just take for granted. I am not sure whether the response will really give the Senator any assurance at the moment. There is a lot of work being done, but it does not seem to be to specific people; it seems to be in general.

Patients and service users ask the health services and healthcare professionals to be clear when they give them information about their health. Content for HSE.ie for the general public and HSE social media channels is created in partnership between content designers who are trained in writing in plain English and user-centred content design, alongside relevant subject matter experts who, working together, ensure content is easy to read and factually accurate. That is all very welcome. We all acknowledge that.

As the Senator may be aware, the EU web accessibility directive sets out several requirements that public sector bodies must meet to provide people with disabilities with better access to websites and mobile apps of public services. A dedicated HSE web accessibility group was established to identify issues, work to address these issues and raise awareness about how to best meet the needs of users with various accessibility requirements. That is where Niamh and Lorna and the other people around the country come in. Interestingly, I spoke with the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, last night, who, as the Senator will know, has special responsibility for disability. She is at the moment setting up communication boards across all parks, playgrounds, wooded walks and different places for people who do not have the capacity to read them in the normal way that we would so that they are accessible to all. That is really positive.

The HSE has several guidelines, processes, tools and standards in place to provide digital content in a format that is easy to read. Again, we will go back because we did not really understand that the question was from a visual perspective. Other examples of areas where the HSE has delivered improved accessibility are the use of sign language and subtitles as standard on public health advertising concerning vaccinations, health and well-being messages, as seen throughout the pandemic; the HSE Live information line 1800 700 700 is available to the public to provide information and non-emergency assistance and can be suitable for those who do not wish to communicate in writing; and the publishing of some communication materials in Braille and audio formats.

The Department recently published Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for Ireland 2024-2030. That might be worth looking at with regard to the situation Senator McGreehan raised. If she has any suggestions from the living experiences of her sister Lorna and Niamh in that respect, I would love to hear them. These are the everyday issues we as Oireachtas Members pick up about people's day-to-day living experience. It is about how to make life that little bit more accessible for somebody who has some form of a disability.