Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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141. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the distinction that is being made in his policy work between organisations for persons with a disability and disability representative organisations. [45511/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2018. This marked an important milestone in a process to strengthen the rights of people with disabilities in Ireland that has gathered momentum since Ireland became a signatory to the Convention in 2007.

Our approach to meeting the obligations of the UNCRPD is one of progressive realisation, each year

moving forward on key reforms, with the obligations arising from the Convention being met over time.

The UNCRPD requires State parties to actively involve people with disabilities in policy development (Articles 4.3 and 33.3).The UN Committee has issued guidance on these articles through General Comment No 7. This guidance makes a distinction between organisations 'for' people with disabilities and organisations 'of' people with disabilities (also called disabled persons organisation or DPOs). The UN Committee recommends that organisations run by people with disabilities (and not for them or advocating on their behalf) are prioritised for consultation.

As a first step towards full implementation of UNCRPD requirements on consultation, my Department has begun the process of building and supporting the consultation framework for involving people with disabilities in the policy development process.

My Department has funded the development of a Participation and Consultation Network to build capacity within the disability community so that people with disabilities and their representative organisations can fully participate in policy-making.The Network was formed in late 2020.

The Network has over 100 members with funding provided to an organising member and four grant funded members. Members include disability organisations, disabled peoples organisations, individuals with disabilities and family members and support groups. They represent a wide and diverse set of experiences of disabilities which ensures a huge amount of knowledge and experience is available.

The expression of interest call for members of the Network specifically invited DPOs to apply. Two of the grant funded members are DPOs (AsIAm and the Coalition of Disabled Persons Organisations (DPO Coalition)). The DPO Coalition are themselves a grouping of DPOs whose own membership ensures that the Network includes the voices of many of Ireland’s DPOs. The Network is the first time that the voice of DPOs has been formally included at a national level. The Network has already been formally consulted on the UNCRPD State Report and it is currently completing a programme of work establishing its own internal structures and practices, which will allow it to carry out its work effectively.

In addition to the Network, the Disability Stakeholder Group is the existing mechanism for monitoring the National Disability Inclusion Strategy. It is a voluntary group of 24 individuals with expertise and lived experience of disability. A recent call for new members included, for the first time, an invitation for DPOs to apply, alongside individuals, persons with live experience, academics or professionals, and advocacy type organisations. Applications to sit on the Group are currently being considered.