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 City Managers 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.
2. Discussion followed by approval of the minutes in relation to meeting of
18th July
Minutes of November 1, 2012 meeting approved.
3. 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 the Taoiseach 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.