Written answers

Thursday, 2 June 2022

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Rights of People with Disabilities

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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71. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the discussions that he had with the Minister for Housing, Local Government regarding the need to provide funding for a higher specification for housing being built by disability organisations for tenants who have high-dependency needs under the schemes of his Department for voluntary housing; the result of these discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28305/22]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I consider the issue of accessible housing for people with disabilities to be of fundamental importance. This view is shared by my colleague, Minister Anne Rabbitte T.D., Minister of State for Disability. The discussions that have been held on this issue have been primarily at the level of officials.  

The National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022 – 2027 sets out the Government’s vision for delivering housing and related supports for disabled people. The overarching vision of the Strategy is to facilitate people with disabilities to live independently and to have their housing needs met in the community. Officials in my Department provided input into the Strategy. The Strategy was a joint publication between my Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Department of Health. Responsibility for coordination of the Strategy lies with my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

In terms of the more general involvement of my Department in the promotion of accessible housing for people with disabilities, the National Disability Authority (NDA), which is funded and supported by my Department, operates a Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (CEUD). The CEUD is dedicated to promoting the design of environments that can be accessed and used regardless of a person's age, size, ability or disability. The CEUD is working to promote the future-proofing of housing in Ireland through the principles of universal design.

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