Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will ensure that relevant organisations will be consulted before making changes to disability services. [35383/09]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Health and Children has well established consultation procedures with disability service providers and users in relation to the development of policy in this area. As part of the overall monitoring mechanism in relation to the implementation of the National Disability Strategy, my Department established the National Disability Advisory Committee in 2007 to provide a forum to inform policy at national level in relation to health-related services for people with disabilities and to advise me on progress in the implementation of the Disability Act 2005 within the health services. The Committee is representative of people with disabilities, disability service providers and other key stakeholders.

Disability stakeholder groups are also represented on the National Disability Strategy Stakeholder Monitoring Group which was established under Towards 2016 to monitor progress on the overall implementation of the Strategy across all sectors. A review of my Department's Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act 2005 is currently under way and involves significant stakeholder consultation. As part of the Government's Value for Money and Policy Reviews for 2009-2011, a Value for Money and Policy Review of the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Disability Services in Ireland is currently being undertaken. A structured consultation process with both services users and service providers will be an integral part of this process.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 157: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she publishes documents on matters of concern to persons with disabilities in easy read format; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35387/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Department's publications are available on our website, which has the facility to significantly enlarge the font size should this be required. It is the Department's policy to ensure that our publications are as clear and as accessible as possible at all times, and in compliance with all statutory and other requirements.