Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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147. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what measures are being advanced on the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Action 104 Transport Working Group final report on the Development and Coordination of enhanced Transport and Mobility Supports for People with Disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7855/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for this question. As Minister of State with Responsibility for Disability, I remain committed to ensuring that disabled people can avail of accessible public transport options and personal mobility supports, in line with the State’s commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified by Ireland in 2018.

In the UNCRPD-designated role of “focal point” and "coordinating mechanism” across government for the implementation of the UNCRPD, my Department has led engagements across government on disability policy development, including extensive engagement with colleagues in the Department of Transport on issues related to transport accessibility and mobility supports.

Currently, my Department is leading on the development of the next National Disability Strategy, which will be a framework for collaborative whole-of-government action on disability policy, including transport and mobility. Following a comprehensive public consultation process, ongoing engagement with a range of disability stakeholders and extensive cross-government collaboration, the Strategy is now at an advanced stage of development.

Consolidating and advancing the work done under Action 104 of the previous National Disability Inclusion Strategy, accessible transport and mobility supports will be key priorities of the next National Disability Strategy and the Strategy will outline a programme of work in this regard.

Under Action 104, a Transport Working Group was established in 2020 to generate proposals on how transport supports could be better coordinated across the state. The Final Report of the Group was published and is available on my Department’s website.

The Department of the Taoiseach has convened a Senior Officials Group to discuss how the proposals of the NDIS TWG final report can be progressed. My officials are engaging and actively contributing to discussions on this matter, and outcomes will be included in the work programme of the National Disability Strategy.