5th Meeting of the National Disability Strategy Implementation Group

Italian Room, D/Taoiseach, 11.30am February 7 2013

Attendees

Kathleen Lynch, Minister for Disability, Equality, Mental Health and Older People

Grainne Duffy, Department of Health

Brian Dowling, Department of Health

Alan Chapman, Department of Social Protection

Mary Jones, Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

Noel Singleton, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

John Moloney, Department of Education and Skills

Denis Maher, Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Teresa O’Halloran, Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Conan McKenna, Department of Justice and Equality

Richard Godfrey, Department of Justice and Equality

Davina Bracken, Department of Justice and Equality

Kay Colgan, Department of Justice and Equality

Jack Keyes,County and CityManagers Association

Eithne Fitzgerald, National Disability Authority

Siobhan Barron, Chair DSG

John Dolan, Disability Federation of Ireland

Patrick Connolly, Inclusion Ireland

Orla Barry, Mental Health Reform

Gary Lee, Centre for Independent Living

Brian O Donnell, Fed Vol

Paul Crilly

Donie O’Leary

Donal Toolan

Mary Dunne

Dharragh Hunt, Secretariat to DSG

Apologies

Sinead Copeland, Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht

Linda Grealy, Department of Justice and Equality

Des Kenny, Not for Profit Business Association

John Redican, National Service Users Executive

Martin Naughton

Kathleen Gittens

  1. Apologies

Apologies made for those absent, previous members Colm Desmond and Tom King were thanked and new members Gary Lee and Gráinne Duffy were welcomed.

  1. Discussion followed by approval of the minutes in relation to meeting of 18th July

Minutes of November 1, 2012 meeting approved.

  1. Discussion on submission document “DSG priorities for the NDS Implementation Plan” including areas of the IP where gaps in Actions are perceived by DSG

The Chair of the DSG advised the NDSIG of DSG concerns regarding the current versions of the NDSIG text document and spreadsheet including:

  • concern that the plan has yet to be finalised and that process has been ongoing since 2011;
  • concern that all Departments have not inserted actions into the draft Plan yet;
  • concern that the draft Plan refers to DSG signing off the plan and that the DSG feels strongly that this is not its role - i.e. its role is about working in partnership through the NDSIG to guide the development of the Plan;
  • view that a report on progress in implementing the plan should be produced annually;
  • concern that cross departmental working is the biggest challenge and already impacting on ability to achieve joined up working in delivery of a comprehensive employment strategy, as part of NDSIP;
  • in order for the NDSIP to be an implementation plan it must contain specific measurable targets and timeframes and ensure accountability at senior level of each Department, i.e. Secretary General. In particular it also needs to be about effective implementation of existing policies. In some cases the failure to deliver on existing policies results in inadequate service provision to people with disabilities; and
  • view that each departmental Consultative Committee would have 2 places for representatives of the DSG, that the committee agenda is focused on implementation of the NDSIP and that there is clarity on who else is in the group.

The Minister advised that:

  • she will be meeting with the Taoiseach and colleagues in the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy (CCSP) on Monday 11 February when she will discuss the Departments who have yet to submit actions i.e. Department of Children and Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. In relation to the further actions on tourism and sport yet to be included she understands that they are currently with the Minister for Transport,Tourism and Sport with a view to sign off. She is also following up with the CCSP in regard to the Comprehensive Employment Strategy;
  • in relation to the timeframe for finalising the draft Plan, she would hope to have actions from all Departments included and that this should be delivered within the period of the Irish EU Presidency. The Minister hopes that there may be greater clarity on timeframe after meeting with theTaoiseach and the CCSP;
  • in relation to timeframes for individual actions that there is likely to be difficulty in putting dates and targets on all actions as some will be incremental, and that she would be reluctant to put timeframes on items which cannot be guaranteed but will take a look at the Plan to see what is possible;
  • she does not favour an annual report as time needs to be invested in delivering actions and addressing any issues through thematic meetings. She notes the view that the reason the DSG sought a report was to facilitate an audit on progress and will think further about it. The point was also made that the Consultative Committees, the thematic meetings on cross-departmental issues and the fact that a department that was delaying any action would be before the NDSIG would all provide the structure to prevent any item becoming delayed or ignored. This structure was set up to circumvent the need for a large investment of time and resources producing reports with less and less impact. The departmental Business Plans were also a guide to completion of targets and there was no need to re-invent everything;
  • the Minister acknowledged frustration felt by the DSG in seeking to finalise the Plan and will convey that message when she meets with the Taoiseach and Cabinet Committee on Social Policy; and
  • the Minister stated that when the NDSIG sign off the Plan, developed through the collaborative and partnership approach, that she has no doubt that it will make a difference and will be welcomed by people with disabilities and the sector generally.
  1. Discussion of the Future Monitoring of the Plan

Views of the DSG as advised to NDSIG, including:

  • clarity sought on the relationship between the NDSIP indicators and indicators which would be developed to monitor the UNCRPD;
  • noted that the information beyond those captured in the indicators (such as feedback from organisations and individuals with disabilities ) would be required to monitor whether the NDS was delivering results; and
  • the DSG advised that when new data sources arise in the future they should be availed of and included in the NDS suite of indicators.

In response the NDA advised that:

  • the indicators have been developed in light of the focus of the NDSIP, noting that actions in the Plan address some of the obligations in the UNCRPD - i.e. it is not suggested that the NDS indicators would be an appropriate or adequate set of indicators to monitor the UNCRPD; and
  • the NDA is working closely with the CSO to ensure that disability can be covered in a range of surveys which will be of value in the future, also working with existing longitudinal studies i.e. IDS TILDA with TCD and conducting further analyses that will be helpful to the NDSIP.

The indicators were agreed.

  1. AOB

The DSG queried whether the text in the draft NDSIP referring to "The NDS Implementation Plan is designed to provide that planned framework to advance those rights" meant that the NDSIG was being established as the monitoring mechanism for the UN Convention.

It was clarified that the NDSIP is not being established as the only monitoring mechanism but part of a structured approach for the monitoring of the UN Convention. The monitoring structures under Article 33 have not yet been established. The Convention provides for progressive realisation and many of the actions in the NDSIP will enable progress in meeting some of the obligations arising from the Convention. The Plan is assisting in advancing progress in the absence of ratification. Work continues to enable ratification in the future.

The Minister concluded the meeting saying it is key to the success of the NDSIP that all departments are on board and that she would like to see the Plan signed off and published before the end of the EU Presidency.