National Disability Authority

1
National Disability Authority

• Presentation by Marion Wilkinson
• Policy Public Affairs Advisor
• EQUAL
• Kilkenny 7th October 2005

2
Overview Disability

• Irish Context, history background
• Role of NDA
• Key Developments Challenges
• Key Activities of NDA
• Mainstreaming the Learning of EQUAL Projects

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Strategy for Equality Report of the Commission on
the Status of People with Disabilities (Nov 96)

• 402 Recommendations
• Services for people with disabilities to be
  delivered in the same place and way as for
  everybody else
• Establishment Group for the National Disability
  Authority Nov 97
• Report to Government in June 98 Building a
  Future Together
• Establishment Group to oversee implementation

4
Mainstreaming Services for People with Disabilties
2000
5
(No Transcript)
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National Disability Authority

• An independent, statutory agency
• National Disability Authority Act 1999
• Established 12th June 2000
• Under aegis of Department of Justice, Equality
  Law Reform

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Membership of Authority

• Reduced from 21 to 13 (with new Act)
• Over 50 of people with a disability or
  representatives
• Service providers
• Representatives from
• Department of Health Children
• Department of Justice, Equality Law Reform
• IBEC
• ICTU
• NDA Staff

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NDA Functions

• To act as a national body to assist in the
  co-ordination and development of disability
  policy
• To undertake research and develop statistical
  information for the planning, delivery and
  monitoring of programmes and services for people
  with disabilities
• To advise the Minister on standards for
  appropriate programmes and services provided or
  to be provided to people with disabilities

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NDA Functions (cont.)

• In relation to the provision of programmes and
  services for people with disabilities
• To monitor the implementation of standards and
  codes of practice
• To work with others to support the development
  and implementation of appropriate standards
• To recognise the achievement of good standards
  and quality

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NDA Functions (cont.)

• The National Disability Authority also has the
  power to
• Prepare codes of practice
• Seek information on services for people with
  disabilities
• Make reports to the Minister
• Recommend the review, reduction or withdrawal of
  funding for programmes and services

11
New NDA Functions(Disability Act 2005)

• Part 5 Public Service Employment
• Part 6 Centre for Excellence in Universal
  Design
• Also may be asked to prepare Codes of Practice
  (ICT QCS)

12
Positive Developments

• Increased resources in key policy areas such as
  education health
• The development of key policy instruments
  including the National Anti-Poverty Strategy
  (NAPS), Programme for Prosperity Fairness
  Partnership Agreement, National Development Plan,
  and Programme for Government
• Commitment to the mainstreaming of policies and
  service delivery for people with disabilities

13
Positive Developmentscont.

• Development of a National Statistical Framework
  Strategy
• Commitment on delivery of disability specific
  legislation
• Commitment to new institutional supports to
  promote the disability/equality agenda

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Challenges

• Lack of coherent policies on mainstreaming
• Lack of appropriate supports for mainstreaming
  measures
• Delays in implementing commitments, including the
  introduction of specifically tasked
  organisations
• A lack of baseline data impacting negatively upon
  service planning and mainstreaming

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Challenges cont.

• Difficulties in accessing information and general
  information deficits which result in a lack of
  evidence to support evidence-based change
• Inadequate funding of services, organisations and
  schemes
• Policy changes with negative effects upon, or
  lack of recognition of, people with disabilities
• Lack of co-ordination of services.

16
National Disability Strategy

• Disability Act 2005
• Sectoral Plans
• 6 Government Departments
• Comhairle Amendment Bill
• Multi-annual Funding

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Mainstreaming EQUAL Project Learning

• Key NDA function is to advise the Minister of
  Justice, Equality Law Reform
• NDA can inform JELR about projects the lessons
  learnt