Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 March 2025
187. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when creating and consulting on new employment strategies for disabled people, the reason the Government is prioritising consulting from service providers (details supplied) over certain specialised disabled persons’ representative organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14311/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for this question and would note that the development of any dedicated employment strategy for disabled people would fall to the respective remits of the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
My Department is leading across government on the development of the next National Disability Strategy. The topic of employment and ensuring opportunities to participate fully in the workforce will be a cornerstone of this Strategy.
The design and development of the National Disability Strategy has been influenced and shaped by input from a wide-ranging and extensive national consultation process and ongoing regular engagement with disability stakeholders, including in particular Disabled Persons' Organisations. No service provider has been prioritised above any Disabled Persons' Organisation in contributing to the development of the National Disability Strategy. The two Disabled Persons' Organisations indicated by the Deputy were included in the consultation process for the NDS as a matter of course and were invited to, and did, participate in a number of key stakeholder events during the development process.
