Advancing Ireland’s National
Disability Strategy: Building on
International and Comparative
Innovation
Research Findings
10 December 2010
Dr. Eilionóir Flynn
Centre for Disability Law and
Policy
Overview
  Scope of research project and methodology
  Key research findings: critical success factors
  Research outputs and dissemination
  Next steps for Centre for Disability Law and Policy
Scope of Research
  From Baseline to National
Disability Strategies
  Comparative and
international analysis (11
countries including Ireland)
  Focus on ingredients for
success and barriers to
implementation
Research Methodology
  Identified key contacts in comparative jurisdictions
  Distributed questionnaires and conducted interviews
  Two rounds of interviews with key individuals in Ireland
(government departments, disability organisations, public
bodies, researchers, etc)
  Focus groups with Centre for Disability Law and Policy’s Local
Consultation Group
  Steering group in CDLP with academics and researchers
Key research findings: critical success
factors
  Turning points in the
implementation of
national strategies
  Main criticisms from
civil society
organisations
  Motivations for
developing/reframing
national strategies
Leadership
  From government/state actors and organisations,
individuals, and communities
  Promote a culture of the ‘learning organisation’ for those
implementing the strategy
  Public forum to debate disability issues can lead to a
coherent voice on issues of national importance
  Opportunities to further the leadership skills of people with
disabilities should be explored
Best Practice
Office on the Status
of Disabled People
South Africa
Participation
  Not just consultation but active involvement in
implementing and monitoring the strategy
  Further political participation of people with disabilities
(not just voting, but running for office)
  Lessons from community development on participatory
evaluation
  Skills-transfer to ensure people with disabilities can
meaningfully participate
Best Practice
Integrate national with international
  National Disability Strategies as tools for domestic
implementation and monitoring of CRPD
  Focal points, co-ordinating mechanisms and monitoring
frameworks (including independent mechanisms)
  Align principles and structures envisaged by Convention
with domestic law, policy and processes
Best Practice
Positive legal obligations and funding
  Duties to be proactive in promoting equality (positive
action, duties to include people with disabilities in
decision-making, etc.)
  Costing a National Disability Strategy Implementation
Plan – thinking creatively about what should be funded
and how
  Cost-effective measures can enhance empowerment
where principles are well thought-out
Best Practice
Transparency & Accountability
  Transparency in reporting on progress made and barriers
encountered
  People with disabilities are entitled to information on how
the strategy is progressing
  Not just for the public sector – but transparency in
appointing representatives of the disability sector
  Accountability from public and private bodies charged
with delivering the strategy
Best Practice
Mainstreaming Disability Equality
  Disability proofing legislation, policy and programmes
(places focus back on systems design, e.g. education)
  Universal design principles for disability policy – moving
from a separate National Disability Strategy to a National
Transport Strategy which is inclusive of people with
disabilities, etc.
  Disability groups forming alliances with broader civil
society to seek reform which is in the interests of all
Best Practice
Independent monitoring
  Reliance on self-reporting for progress leads to need to
independent monitoring of strategy or components
  Article 33(2) already requires states to establish a
monitoring framework with independent mechanism(s) to
oversee progress on CRPD
  Reframe existing structures in light of this requirement so
that monitoring the NDS leads to monitoring the CRPD
Best Practice
Data and Indicators
  Need to measure progress in advancing NDS and impact
on the lives of people with disabilities
  Indicators of disability equality can measure impact with
quantitative and qualitative measures
  Work ongoing at European level to develop indicators
  CRPD requires states to gather information to inform
policy and domestic implementation of CRPD
Best Practice
Conclusion
  Key outputs from the research: conference documents
and forthcoming book with CUP
  CDLP will keep information on implementing and
monitoring Ireland’s NDS live on its website
  Next steps: disseminate the findings and start the
discussion on how NDS can be reconfigured to adapt to
the current environment, given the proposals for reform in
disability services and ratification of the CRPD