Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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71. To ask the Taoiseach to provide an update on the work of the Cabinet committee on children, education and disability, outlining the number of times it has met this year. [26203/24]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Cabinet Committee on Children and Education and Disability oversees Programme for Government commitments relating to Children, Education and Disability and receives detailed reports on identified policy areas such as child poverty and well-being, local area disadvantage and the reform of disability services.

In addition to the meetings of the full Cabinet and of Cabinet committees, I meet Ministers on an individual basis to focus on different issues.

Disability services are a key focus for me and this Government and this is why I have established this new Cabinet Committee.

The Committee will have a particular focus on the forthcoming new National Disability Strategy which will set out the blueprint for further realisation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The membership of the Cabinet Committee comprises the:

·Taoiseach;

·Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Defence;

·Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and for Transport;

·Minister for Health;

·Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth;

·Minister for Education;

·Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform;

·Minister for Finance;

·Minister for Social Protection and for Rural and Community Development;

·Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage; and,

·Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

The Minister of State with special responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion, and the Minister of State for Disability will be invited to participate in all of the Cabinet Committee meetings. Other Ministers or Ministers of State will be invited to participate as required.

Two meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Children and Education and Disability have taken place to date since its establishment in April. It will meet again on 24 June and in July.