From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
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Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley and Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Hildegarde Naughton met with the Disability Stakeholder Strategic Advisory Group.
Coming in the first week of the new government, the Ministers set out the government’s main priorities for the sector and its aim to make significant and tangible improvements to enable people with disabilities live full and independent lives, supported by access to person-centred services.
The Ministers emphasised a commitment to collaboration with the sector, in particular with disabled people, in working towards key objectives to deliver a step-change in disability services.
The group discussed some of the key challenges impacting the delivery of supports and services to disabled people, such as waiting lists for access to services, sustainability of services, and workforce recruitment and retention issues.
Expansion of services through the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026, and its successor plan, will be a priority for the Ministers, as will making tangible improvements in the provision of services for children with disabilities and their families.
The group also discussed the forthcoming new National Disability Strategy, as well as the importance of breaking down silos to foster a whole-of-government approach to addressing the needs of disabled people in Irish society and advancing the aims of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
Minister Foley said:
“I am extremely happy to meet the members of the Disability Stakeholder Strategic Advisory Group today to discuss the urgent issues facing disabled people in Ireland. I am committed to working in partnership with everyone in the disability sector, including people with disabilities, families, carers, advocates and organisations to co-design improvements to services and prioritise the measures that are most important to them. This collaborative approach will be critical to meeting the challenges and delivering the step change that is required.
"I look forward to future engagements with disabled people and stakeholders across the disability sector in my role as Minister for Children, Disability and Equality.”
Minister Naughton said:
“The real experts here are the very people living with a disability, their carers and their advocates. As Minister, I will take their advice and learn from their lived experience when it comes to informing investment and reform. Meeting with stakeholders reinforces for me how much knowledge, wisdom and passion exists within the sector to help guide the process of embedding a person-centered approach in all that we do and in helping to fulfil the vision of the UNCRPD, providing all persons with disabilities in Ireland the opportunity and the means to live independent lives.”
The Disability Stakeholder Strategic Advisory Group (DSSAG) is a standing group of some of the key stakeholders from the disability sector. The group is comprised of members of disabled person’s organisations, advocacy organisations, service provider umbrella groups and statutory organisations. The group’s remit is to provide advice and make recommendations regarding high level disability policy and strategy. The Group also acts as the Monitoring Group for the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026.
The group is chaired by DCEDIY and includes representatives from: