Written answers
Thursday, 27 February 2025
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Disability Services
Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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363. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when she expects the national disability strategy to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8943/25]
Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for this question, which is timely in the context of ongoing work across government to finalise the National Disability Strategy.
Publication and implementation of the National Disability Strategy is a key priority for Government. The 2025 Programme for Government commits to prioritising the publication and funding of a new National Disability Strategy, setting out a vision to 2030. It commits to the adoption of a whole-of-government approach and to advancing the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The development process for the Strategy has been supported extensively by disability stakeholders who have given generously of their time, not least as part of a robust consultation exercise completed by the National Disability Authority on behalf of the Department in 2024. This included:
- 34 focus groups
- 18 interviews
- More than 80 written submissions
- 484 responses to a national survey
- 5 town hall events in Dublin, Cork, Galway and online
It is anticipated that the Strategy will be ready for publication in the coming months and is an early priority for me as Minister. However, it is important to note that in advance of publication, work has continued unabated on vital disability issues across government, and I would note the publication of the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026, the Autism Innovation Strategy and the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the UNCRPD as only a few among many other examples of this steadfast progress.
Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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364. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of CDNTs around the country that have no psychologist; and to detail where these CDNTs are located. [8959/25]
Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
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