Disability Federation Ireland statement on Disability Action Plan 2024-2026
Minister of State Anne Rabbitte and Minister for Children Roderic O'Gorman at the launch of the disability services action plan 2024-26 (RollingNews.ie)
The long-awaited Disability Action Plan 2023-2026 was published in December. This is the Government's follow-up to the Disability Capacity Review published in 2021 and follows years of underfunding in the disability sector.
Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) issued a statement in response to its publication, representing its member organisations, including Muscular Dystrophy Ireland. They acknowledge the extensive work that has gone into preparing the Action Plan and that the commitment by the Department of Children Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), Ministers Rabbitte and O'Gorman and the HSE to address the crisis in disability services.
DFI advocated for the Action Plan to be grounded in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) and particularly for there to be a significant focus on community-based services that promote independence. They comment that the Disability Action Plan includes welcome targets in relation to children's services, adult day services, personal assistance, residential services, home supports, and multi-disciplinary therapies. However, they also state that it is disappointing that these are restricted to services which account for supports to just seven per cent of disabled people. For these targets to be met, the ongoing challenge of filling posts has to be a high priority.
Investment in the wider landscape of community services is essential to enable people to live independently in their communities, in line with Article 19 of the UN CRPD. DFI is concerned that there is insufficient focus on disability services delivered by voluntary organisations that fall outside of the traditional HSE disability services programme.