Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 November 2025
898. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timelines for the finalisation and publication of the First Programme Plan of Action 2025-2026 under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People; and to confirm whether the three-month publication timeframe remains on course and on schedule. [62875/25]
View answer899. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions her Department has taken to formally notify and provide guidance to all public bodies and agencies regarding their obligations in implementing the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People on a mainstream-first basis. [62876/25]
View answer902. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the timelines for agreeing joint delivery plans with the Department of Health for pillar four (wellbeing and health), including the assignment of measurable targets and KPIs under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People. [62881/25]
View answer903. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department is currently on schedule to meet its obligations under the first Programme Plan of Action of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People; and to outline any risks to delivery that have already been identified. [62893/25]
View answer904. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm the key performance indicators (KPIs) that will underpin each pillar of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People; and when these KPIs will be published and communicated to stakeholders, including disabled persons’ organisations. [62906/25]
View answer905. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which her Department is progressing the sectoral plan for Pillar One (Inclusive Learning and Education), including dates for finalisation of targets, KPIs, and consultation with disabled learners and disabled persons organisations under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People. [62911/25]
View answer906. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the expected publication timeline for the sectoral plan under Pillar Five (transport and mobility); and to outline the KPIs that will be used to measure accessibility improvements across public transport services and infrastructure under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People. [62919/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 898, 899, 902, 903, 904, 905 and 906 together.
I thank the Deputy for these questions. The First Programme Plan of Action for the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People is currently under development with extensive collaboration ongoing with all government departments and relevant public bodies and agencies leading on the delivery of commitments and priority actions across the five pillars of the Strategy. This development process has also involved engagement with disability stakeholders, including Disabled Persons' Organisations.
Crucially, the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People acknowledges that disabled people do not live their lives by government department - a fact that was reinforced through continuous engagement with disabled people during the development process. While my department operates as the mandated "coordination mechanism" for the UNCRPD in Ireland, Government is committed to the mainstream-first approach to policy that is promoted by the Convention, meaning that it is incumbent on every public body to deliver their services in a fashion that is inclusive of the needs of disabled people.
Given this context, delivery of the Strategy will operate on a sectoral basis, with departments taking a co-leadership approach to Pillars, based on areas of joint responsibility and where collaboration will be productive and beneficial to disabled people. For example, the department will work cooperatively and in partnership with the Department of Health to deliver on Pillar 4, focussed on Wellbeing and Health.
The First Programme Plan of Action will cover the period to 2026 and it is expected that Government will publish it in Q4 2025. This will be the first of three Programme Plans of Action, each of which will ensure an agile and reflexive approach to delivery that is capable of tackling policy issues as they arise across the lifetime of the Strategy.
These Programme Plans are currently under development and will set out how the key priority actions under each commitment will be delivered on, by whom, the timeframe for delivery, and relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and take into account risks to delivery, as to be determined by departments responsible for the co-leadership of Pillars.
