David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 138: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 120 of 7 November 2007, if the National Disability Strategy Stakeholder Monitoring Group received a further progress report on the strategy from senior officials at the end of 2007; if this report and the previous two reports will be published; if the Stakeholder Monitoring Group also have a role in monitoring the implementation of the sectoral plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9022/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The National Disability Strategy was launched by Government in September, 2004 and underpins the participation of people with disabilities in Irish society by building on existing policy and legislation. The implementation of the Strategy is the agreed focus of disability policy under the Partnership Agreement, Towards 2016.

Under the terms of Towards 2016, the National Disability Strategy Stakeholder Monitoring Group was established in December, 2006 to monitor progress on the overall implementation of the National Disability Strategy. The Group comprises representatives of stakeholder groups, senior officials and the National Disability Authority, while my Department also serves as Secretariat to the Group. The Group received a third report on the National Disability Strategy by senior officials of the relevant Government Departments in January, 2008. The reports provided to date have been presented to Dr. Jimmy Devins, T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for Disability and Mental Health and they have been presented to the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion. The three reports to date were not prepared on the basis that they would be published.

Under the provisions of the Disability Act, 2005, six Government Departments prepared Sectoral Plans in key sectors including transport, built infrastructure, housing, training and employment, health and social welfare provision. The Sectoral Plans were presented to the Oireachtas and they were published in December, 2006. The Departments have provided targets and costings for the implementation of the Sectoral Plans and have established separate fora with stakeholder representatives to monitor progress on the implementation of the plans.