Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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2441. To ask the Minister for Health the ways in which disabled persons are consulted relating to budgetary decisions affecting them; the ways in which his Department respects the nothing about us without us ethos; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28226/21]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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There is continuous engagement by my Department with disability representatives on policy matters. The Department of Health’s Disability Consultative Committee meets generally three to four times a year. The Health Service Executive holds regular meetings with disability representatives through its Disability Consultative Forum, now renamed the National Consultative Committee, whose membership is being broadened to include service providers, family representatives, and the voice of people with disabilities. These meetings are an opportunity to hear from disability representatives on their priorities for services.

These fora are an integral part of a wider consultative process with disability stakeholders which oversees and monitors the implementation of the National Disability Inclusion Strategy, including the Department of Health’s commitments under that strategy. Under my chairmanship, the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Committee, comprising disability representatives from the Disability Stakeholder group and departmental officials meets around three times a year. The National Disability Inclusion Strategy in turn was developed following three separate phases of consultation with disability stakeholders.

Under the auspices of the Department of Social Protection, almost 2,500 people, responded to a recent survey which explored among other factors, the health-funded services they were receiving, and the adequacy of those services to meet their needs. The survey participants comprised a random sample of those on disability payments, and other participants contacted via disability organisations. The Department of Health will be closely studying the findings to inform budgetary deliberations.

The Government welcomes the widespread engagement of disability representative organisations in ongoing discussion of policy and resource matters through channels including those listed above, which ensure the voice of people with disabilities is heard in matters affecting them.

While the input of people with disabilities is an important strand of all policy preparations, under the Constitution, it is Dáil Éireann which decides on budgetary allocations recommended by the Government, through adopting the Estimates.