Source: http://disability-europe.net/dotcom?l%5B%5D=19&t%5B%5D=3&t%5B%5D=4&t%5B%5D=5&t%5B%5D=6&t%5B%5D=7&t%5B%5D=8&t%5B%5D=9&t%5B%5D=10&t%5B%5D=11&t%5B%5D=13&t%5B%5D=14&t%5B%5D=15&t%5B%5D=16&t%5B%5D=17&t%5B%5D=19&t%5B%5D=20&t%5B%5D=21&t%5B%5D=23&t%5B%5D=24&t%5B%5D=25&t%5B%5D=26&t%5B%5D=27&t%5B%5D=28&t%5B%5D=29&t%5B%5D=30&t%5B%5D=32&t%5B%5D=33&t%5B%5D=34&t%5B%5D=35&t%5B%5D=36&t%5B%5D=38&t%5B%5D=39&t%5B%5D=40&t%5B%5D=41&t%5B%5D=43&t%5B%5D=44&t%5B%5D=45&t%5B%5D=46&t%5B%5D=48&t%5B%5D=49&t%5B%5D=50&t%5B%5D=51&t%5B%5D=52&t%5B%5D=53&view_type=list
Timestamp: 2018-01-20 11:03:26
Document Index: 376109351

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 5', 'art 5', 'art 6', 'art 6', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art5', 'art2', 'art 6', 'art 6']

Ireland has not yet ratified the UN Convention, despite being one of the first countries to sign it in 2007. On 21 October 2015 the Department of Justice and Equality released a Roadmap to Ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Roadmap lists legislative amendments that the Government of Ireland states must be enacted prior to ratification of the CRPD. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, which reforms the law on legal capacity and had been identified as a key piece of legislation that must be implemented before ratification, was signed into law by the President of Ireland on the 30 December 2015. Some sections of the Act, which relate to the establishment of the Decision Support Service, the appointment of a Director of the Decision Support Service and codes of practice, were commenced in October 2016. It is not yet know how long these processes will take or when the rest of the Act may be commenced. Section 5 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993, which relates to sexual acts with mentally impaired persons, has also been identified as a provision in need of reform and was amended under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017. In August 2016, the government published the General Scheme of the Equality/Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill which outlines the final technical amendments to disability and equality legislation necessary before Ireland can ratify. As of April 2017 the Bill is going through the Dáil.
Roadmap to CRPD Ratification
Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016
Update date: Tue, 2017-05-16
Ireland has not signed or ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention. The Roadmap to Ratification of the CRPD states that the government intends to sign and ratify the Optional Protocol at the same time the government ratifies the CRPD.
Update date: Mon, 2016-05-02
Although Ireland has not yet ratified the UN Convention or its Optional Protocol the Roadmap to Ratification sets out a list of contemplated reservations and declarations. The Roadmap states a reservation may be put forward for Article 27 (a) and (b) pending legal advice. On declarations, the Roadmap states that Article 5 (3) may be subject to a declaration of progressive realisation. The Roadmap states that a declaration would be made for Article 12 (2) 'along the lines of those entered by Canada, Australia and Norway on ratification.' The Roadmap also states that a declaration would be made for Article 14 (1)(a) on involuntary detention that would be similar to Australia’s and Norway's declaration.
On 21 October 2015 the Department of Justice released a Roadmap to Ratification that sets out a schedule of legislative amendments that must be ratified prior to the CRPD ratification.
Although the CRPD has not yet been ratified, the 2015 Roadmap to Ratification designates the Equality Division in the Department of Justice as the focal point.
Roadmap to the CRPD Ratification
The 2015 Roadmap to CRPD Ratification does not include any plans for a coordination mechanism.
The Roadmap for Ratification designates the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission as the potential future independent mechanism responsible for protecting, promoting and monitoring implementation of the Convention. The Roadmap gives the National Disability Authority the responsibility to prepare independent assessments of progress. The National Disability Authority's assessments would inform the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission for their independent reports to the UN.
The initial state report to the CRPD Committe will be due two years from the date of ratification. Since Ireland has not yet ratified, no process of preparing a report is currently underway, although it is likely that bi-annual progress reports currently prepared under the National Disability Strategy may feed into this process as a basis for reporting progress.
Link to all UN reporting cycle documentation:
Update date: Tue, 2015-03-03
Since Ireland has not yet ratified the Convention it is too early to determine how a shadow report will be prepared. However, the disability organisations represented on the Disability Stakeholders Group and the National Disability Strategy Stakeholders Monitoring Group could potentially be involved, or a collaborative network of stakeholders may form, as for the law reform process on legal capacity.
Monitoring the National Disability Strategy:
Update date: Wed, 2015-03-11
Article 40(1) of the Irish Constitution states that all persons shall be held equal before the law. The Employment Equality Acts (EEA) 1998-2011 and the Equal Status Acts (ESA) 2000 to 2012 are the principal pieces of anti-discrimination law in Ireland. Both acts prohibit discrimination on the grounds of disability.
The EEA promotes equality, prohibits discrimination (with some exemptions) in relation to employment on the basis of nine grounds: gender, family status, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, religious belief, race, and membership of the Traveller community. In addition to discrimination, the act prohibits harassment, sexual harassment and victimization. The act requires that appropriate measures for people with disabilities in relation to access, participation and training in employment be taken by employers, and further allows for positive action measures to be adopted with the aim to ensure full equality in practice. What amounts to nominal cost will depend on the circumstances, such as the size and resources of the body in question. If the State provides grants or aids for assisting in providing special treatment or facilities, there may be an onus on the service providers etc. to avail of these grants.
The ESA prohibits discrimination on the same grounds as the EEA and applies to persons buying or selling goods, using or providing services, obtaining or disposing of accommodation and those attending or in charge of educational establishments. Denial of reasonable accommodation is recognized as constituting discrimination on the basis of disability. In the provision of goods and services reasonable accommodation must not exceed nominal costs.
Guide to the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2008
Guide to the Equal Status Acts 2000-2008
Update date: Wed, 2015-03-25
There is a common law presumption that persons over the age of 18 have legal capacity to make decisions. On 30 December 2015 Ireland signed into law the new legislation on legal capacity, the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. The new law applies to people over 18. Under the new law a person whose mental capacity is questioned is presumed to have legal capacity unless shown to the contrary. Capacity under this law is based on a functional approach and 'assessed on the basis of his or her ability to understand at the time a decision is to be made, the nature and consequences of the decision to be made by him or her in the context of the available choices at the time.'
For people who think their mental capacity is in question or will be in question they can appoint someone as a decision making assistant. The Decision-making assistant advises and assists the person regarding the person’s personal welfare, property and affairs as set out in the decision making agreement.
There is also provision for co-decision making agreements where the person appoints a co-decision maker. The co-decision maker jointly takes decisions with the person on decisions regarding the person’s welfare, property or affairs as set out in the co-decision making agreement.
The law allows for the court to make declarations on the mental capacity of a person upon application. The court can declare that the person lacks capacity unless the assistance of a suitable person as a co-decision maker is made available to make decision relating to personal welfare, property or affairs or that the person lacks capacity to make decisions even with the assistance of a co-decision maker. If the court finds that the person lacks the capacity to make decisions in personal welfare, property and/or affairs the court will issue an order either making the relevant decision and/or appointing a decision making representative who is directed under the order to make decision on behalf of the person.
Some sections of the Act, which relate to the establishment of the Decision Support Service, the appointment of a Director of the Decision Support Service and codes of practice, were commenced in October 2016. It is not yet know how long these processes will take or when the rest of the Act may be commenced.
The law does not amend or alter laws that govern capacity or consent for: making a will, civil partnership, divorce, dissolution of civil partnership, adoption, guardianship, sexual relations, or serving on a jury.
Ward of Court System
Statutory Instruments to Commence the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015
Update date: Wed, 2017-05-17
Under Irish law, the right to vote is covered under Article 16.2 of the Constitution which confers this right on all citizens over 18 years of age and other persons in the state as defined by law (e.g. British citizens can vote in Irish elections if they are residing in Ireland). The physical accessibility of polling stations is covered by the Disability Act 2005 provisions on accessibility of buildings and public services (sections 25 to 28). The Disability Act also requires information and communications between public bodies and people with disabilities to be accessible (section 28) which would extend to voting and campaign information.
Irish sign language is not currently recognized as an official language of the State and has no official status in Irish legislation. The 2011-2016 Programme for Government (policy aims and objectives) contains a commitment to 'examine different mechanisms to promote the recognition of Irish Sign Language'. A bill to recognize sign language was put up for a vote in the Seanad in 2014 but was defeated.
2011-2016 Programme for Government
Senate 2014 vote to recognise Irish sign language
Seanad Vote on Irish Sign Language Recognition
Following the expiration of the National Disability Strategy in 2015, the Department of Justice and Equality have prepared a Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017 – 2020. The Strategy was prepared following a consultation process in 2015/2016. The process provided interested parties with the opportunity to make recommendations in key areas such as service provision, accommodation, health, employment, transport and education. The Strategy identifies and agrees specific actions and timescales for delivery under the following eight themes: Equality and Choice; Joined up policies and public services; Education; Employment; Health and Wellbeing; Person centred disability services; Living in the Community; and Transport and Accessible Places. The Department outlines that it expects to publish the Strategy in Quarter 2 of 2017.
National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2020
Public services (including transport) are required to be accessible according to the Disability Act 2005. Under this Act, the Transport Sectoral plan was first prepared in 2006 and the most recent update to the plan was published in 2012. The Act’s requirements for accessibility extend to all public transport services (public services as defined in the Act include any services provided by companies which are funded by a Minister or the Government). Airplanes or a service provided by a person who only operates a train service or railway infrastructure of historic or touristic interest,’ however, are not covered by the act.
Despite the 2005 Disability Act and the sectoral plan there are reports that transportation, especially outside major metropolitan areas remains inaccessible to people with disabilities. For example in 2012 only 42% of Bus Éireann’s fleet was accessible.
The Sectoral Plan for Accessible Transport (2012 edition)
Sectoral Plan for Accessible Transport (2006 edition)
Review of Department of Transport disability sectoral plan
National Disability Authority, Transport and access for people with disabilities
Does Ireland provide equal public transport to wheelchair users? Thejournal.ie (17 August 2014)
Under the Disability Act 2005, public bodies must ensure, as far as practicable, that their buildings are accessible to people with disabilities. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is responsible for ensuring accessibility of the built environment and has a sectoral plan setting out how accessibility. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is also responsible for updating and enforcing the standards set out in Part M (Access for People with Disabilities) of the national Building Regulations.. Part M of the Building Regulations requires that ‘adequate provision shall be made to enable people with disabilities to safely and independently access and use a building’. Originally Part M only applied to non-domestic buildings but was amended in 2000 and since January 2001 requires new dwellings to be accessible to people with disabilities. The Employment and Equality Acts and Equal Status Acts also impose some requirements regarding building accessibility.
In addition to these laws and regulations the National Disability Authority has put out guidelines on conducting a built environment access audit and using universal design.
Sectoral Plan of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
National Disability Authority Guidelines for Access Auditing of the Built Environment
National Disability Authority Building for Everyone: A Universal Design Approach
The Disability Act 2005 requires all information and communications between public bodies and people with disabilities to be accessible. The Commission for Communication Regulations or ComReg is the commission responsible for regulating the electronic communications and postal sector in Ireland. In 2010 they surveyed ICT users with disabilities in Ireland and found that there was a need to increase awareness disability specific programs and equipment.
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland is responsible under the Broadcasting Act 2009 to create Access Rules that promote the understanding of programming by people with visual and hearing impairments. The Access Rules, which set percentage targets for subtitling, audio descriptions and Irish sign language, were updated in August 2016 and are due for statutory review in 2017.
The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (hosted by the National Disability Authority) has published IT Accessibility Guidelines, an IT Procurement Toolkit and Web Accessibility Techniques. These guidelines are addressed to a range of actors in IT and web development sectors. The Emergency Call Answering Service falls under the remit of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The Emergency Call Answering Service can receive calls from fixed land lines, mobiles as well as a Minicom service that sends texts through a fixed telephone terminal. The Emergency Call Answering Service also allows for emergency text messages to be sent from preregistered users.
Ireland signed the Marrakesh Treaty in June 2014 but has not ratified it.
Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act 2005
Report on the Progress of the Sectoral Plan
Consumers with Disabilities Telecommunications Research
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources-Emergency Call Answering Service
Update date: Fri, 2017-07-21
There is no mandatory obligation for a person with a disability to live in a particular living arrangement. The right to live in the community, as opposed to in an institution, exists and has been affirmed in the Towards 2016- Ten-Year Framework Social Partnership Agreement 2006-2015 which states, ‘The parties to the agreement share a vision of an Ireland where people with disabilities have, to the greatest extent possible, the opportunity to live a full life with their families as part of the local community free from discrimination’. There is also the National Housing Strategy which aims to promote living in the community through targeted plans that address the specific needs of different groups of people with disabilities. In 2011 the HSE produced a Strategy on Community Inclusion which set out how best to move people with disabilities from congregated settings to the community using person centred approaches.
A person could legally be made live in an institution if they have become a Ward of Court, and where the committee formed to make decisions for them has decided this to be the best course of action for the individual in question.
Towards 2016- Ten-Year Framework Social Partnership Agreement 2006-2015
Strategy on Community Inclusion
National Housing Strategy for People with Disabilities 2011-2016
The process of deinstitutionalisation of people from long-stay hospitals and large scale congregated settings has been underway since the 1970s.
There are three main strategies that inform deinstitutionalisation policies in Ireland, A Vision for Change which focuses on people who receive mental health services, Time to Move on from Congregated Settings which pertains primarily to people with intellectual disabilities and The National Housing Strategy for People with Disabilities in Ireland 2011-2016. The National Housing Strategy is designed to promote inclusion in the community and independent living for all people with disabilities in Ireland. The National Housing Strategy looks at the specific housing needs of different groups of people with disabilities in Ireland including people with mental health needs or psycho social disabilities. Through this needs assessment the National Housing Strategy sets out 9 aims that are underpinned by a set list of actions.
Despite these strategies there are still people in Ireland who live in institutions or quasi institutions. According to the Strategy on Community Inclusion over 4,000 people with disabilities in Ireland live in congregated settings. A recent newspaper article estimated that there are at least 1500 people living in high support residential services for mental health services.
Isolated and institutionalised: the reality of life for many mentally ill patients in community care, Irish Times
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is an independent authority responsible for setting standards and monitoring residential services for children, older people and people with disabilities in Ireland under the Health Act 2007. HIQA is responsible for the Social Services Inspectorate which registers and inspects residential settings. In 2013 HIQA published the National Standards for Residential Services for Children and Adults with Disabilities. The standards apply to all public, private and voluntary residential services and residential respite services including supported community living services. In December 2014 the national broadcaster aired an expose on an evening news program about extensive abuse of older people with intellectual disabilities in a residential service. This resulted in some discussion over the effectiveness of the HIQA inspections and subsequently HIQA in 2015 have found improved standard in the service. In February 2016 HIQA published a guidance document for services and health and social care professionals on supporting people's autonomy.
‘Casual nature of Aras Attracta abuse most disturbing’, Irish Times
Supporting people's autonomy: a guidance document
Holders of a medical card or long term illness card may be entitled to get certain assistive devices free of charge through the health system. A housing adaptation grant for people with a disability is available on a means tested basis where changes need to be made to a home to make it suitable for a person with a physical, sensory or intellectual disability, or a mental health difficulty, to live in. The Mobility Aids Grant Scheme is also available to people with disabilities needed to make mobility related adaptations in their home. A person cannot apply for both the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme and the Housing Adaptation Grant. The Central Remedial Clinic, the National Association for Deaf People, Irish Wheelchair Association, the National Council for the Blind of Ireland and Enable Ireland are non-governmental organizations that also provide free assistive technology. Enable Ireland also provides courses on assistive technology. The IWA also operates an initiative that assists and supports people with disabilities to get social housing. The Citizen’s Information Board runs a website that provides information about assistive technology, daily living aids and mobility aids.
IWA Assistive Technology
CRC Assistive Technology
Long Term Illness Card information
Enable Ireland Assistive Technology Courses
NCBI Assistive Technology
Personal assistance (PA) services are mainly funded through the Health Service. Non-Governmental organizations such as Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) also provide personal assistance programmes through county level offices. The IWA provides two different types of assisted living services, self-directed or supported. Under the self-directed package the person with the disability is in charge of the provision of services rather than a service manager. The Centres for Independent Living in Ireland (CILs) also provide person centred PA services. There are 22 CILs throughout Ireland which are run by persons with disabilities and promote person centred service approaches. In 2014 the Disability Federation of Ireland published a report on PA services in Ireland. The report highlighted the importance of PA services to fully enable people with disabilities to live in the community and recommended recognising the PA service on a statutory basis as well as providing a dedicated funding stream. The Department of Health has established a Task Force on Personalised Budgets to make recommendations on a personalised budgets model which will give people with disabilities more control in accessing health funded personal social services such as personal assistance. The Taskforce aims to recommend an approach and a suggested implementation strategy for the Government’s consideration by the end of 2017.
Personal Assistance through the HSE
IWA Personal Assistance
CIL Personal Assistance Services
DFI PA Services Report
Information on PA services for students
Payments for persons with disabilities are paid by the Department of Social Protection. Depending on a person’s situation they may qualify for the Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) based Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension which require fulfilment of PRSI contribution conditions and a medical assessment or means-tested benefits such as the Disability Allowance or Blind Pension. Recipients of the Disability Allowance and Blind Pension in addition to the means test must also satisfy the habitual residence condition. From March 2017 the weekly maximum rate for the blind pension and disability allowance at the personal rate was EUR 193.00 weekly. The independent agency, the Social Welfare Appeals Office can hear appeals of social welfare decisions.
General Information on Social Welfare Benefits regarding disability
There is no specific cost of disability payment in Ireland, instead, a number of additional cash benefits are available to off-set the additional living costs of people with disabilities. The Free travel pass entitles the holder (and sometimes a companion) to freely travel on all state transport. This pass is slowly transitioning to the Public Services Card Free Travel. Carers Allowance is a means tested benefit paid to people who provide full-time care to someone over 16 years of age who requires ‘full time care and attention’. The Domiciliary Care Allowance is available to a person caring for a child under the age of 16 who has ‘severe disability, who requires ongoing care and attention’ and they may also be entitled to a annual payment known as the Carers Support Grant. Disabled Persons Parking Cards can be used in public parking areas.
The Motorized Transport Grant, which was a means-tested Health Service Executive (HSE) payment for people in Ireland with disabilities who need to buy or adapt a car in order to earn or gain employment and the Mobility Allowance, a means tested monthly payment available to people who are unable to walk, were both closed to new applicants in 2013. The HSE are devising a scheme to replace them which will be known as the Transport Support Scheme.
Information on disability entitlements
Free Travel Pass/ Public Services Card Free Travel
Disabled Persons Parking Card
Government decision on Motorized Transport Grant and Mobility Allowance
People on disability allowance move to a State Pension (Non-Contributory) at age 66, the State Pension (Non –Contributory) falls under the remit of the Department of Social Protection. The Social Welfare’s Appeal Office hears appeals related the the State Pension schemes. The Pension Board, established under the 1990 act, regulates: occupational pension schemes, trust RACs, Personal Retirement Savings Accounts in Ireland. The National Pensions Board has appointed Access Officers in accordance with section 26(2) of the Disability Act 2005, who are responsible for ensuring that the Pension Board’s services are accessible to people with disabilities. A complaint may be made against The Pensions Board if it does not comply with the provisions of Sections 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the Disability Act, 2005.
Access Officers:
The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (EPSEN) 2004 states that: A child with special educational needs shall be educated in an inclusive environment with children who do not have such needs unless the nature or degree of those needs of the child is such that to do so would be inconsistent with - (a) the best interests of the child as determined in accordance with any assessment carried out under this Act, or (b) the effective provision of education for children with whom the child is to be educated. Under the EPSEN Act children with disabilities are to be largely included in mainstream schools. The EPSEN Act also established the National Council for Special Education which works with schools and other actors to provide education and support services to children with special needs education. There are around 139 Special Schools still in operation in Ireland but a 2014 report that analysed data from 2007/2008 found that just 2.1% of children surveyed with Special Education Needs were in special schools.
Section 7 of the Equal Status Act 2000 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability at an ‘educational establishment’. This term is broadly defined to ensure that all educational establishments, private and public, from pre-school facilities through to third level institutions, fall within the definition of an ‘educational establishment’. Current government policy in Ireland is to encourage the maximum possible inclusion for children with special educational needs in mainstream schools as per the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. There are several ways support may be provided to a child with a disability in a mainstream school. Learning support or resource teachers are available through a general allocation which the school then determines how to disperse. This is commonly used for high incidence needs and low support requirements. For children with hearing impairments, visual impairments, autism and general learning disabilities individual applications to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for resource teaching hours is required. There are also Special Needs Assistants who provide non-teaching care support. Special classes catering for students from a particular category of need (for example autism) within a mainstream setting are also on the increase in recent years.
Citizens Information on Special Needs Education
Resource Teaching and SNA Allocations to Schools
NCSE Report - Special Classes in Irish Schools
The key focus of the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (EPSEN) is the right to an appropriate education in an inclusive setting wherever possible but there is no specific obligation to provide Braille and sign language services. Special Needs Assistants, however, may be used to provide sign language support. The National Braille Production Centre provides Braille transcription services for textbooks to all children with a registered visual impairment in Ireland.
The State has a constitutional obligation to provide for free primary education, which must be appropriate for the child’s needs. However, this has been interpreted restrictively in O’Carolan v The Minister for Education, and the subsequent test is not as to whether the child is receiving ‘the best possible’ education but merely whether the current educational provision for the child is appropriate. To date, there has been no case-law regarding the right to learn Braille or sign-language in mainstream schools in Ireland.
Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act
Debate on Irish Sign Language provision in the houses of the Oireachtas
Education Circular Special Needs Assistant
National Braille Production Center
Section 12 of the Employment Equality Act 1998 expressly forbids discrimination by any bodies offering vocational training. One of the high level goals of the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016 is enhanced vocational training opportunities for people with disabilities. Solas is the organization that oversees the government’s further education and training programs. The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme is open to people with disabilities who have been unemployed or on disability allowance or the blind pension for 6 months or more. Since 2013 the Education and Training Boards are responsible for education and training centres in their localities. Solas’s 2014 Further Education and Training Plan highlighted the fact that people with disabilities are one of the most at-risk groups for falling into long term employment and the regional plans included Specialist Training Programs which are targeted at people with disabilities.
In addition to the government vocational training schemes there is the National Learning Network which is Ireland’s largest non-Government training organisation with centres in almost every county in Ireland. They provide Continuous Professional Development courses, Assessment Services for children, adolescents and adults with specific learning difficulties, and a Disability Support Service for VEC colleges in Dublin.
National Learning Network Disability Support
Solas Further Education and Training Plan 2014
Equality Employment Act 1998
National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016
A number of access programmes provide assistance to people with disabilities in accessing higher education. One example is the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) programme. DARE initiatives include a third level admission scheme for students with disabilities under the age of 23, places allocated on a reduced points scheme to school leavers whose disability has affected their education performance significantly, a website with information on those unis involved in DARE, assistance in applying through the Central Admissions Office. The Association for Higher Education Access and Disability (AHEAD) is a non-profit organisation that promotes full access and participation of students with disabilities in higher education. In 2015/2016 academic year there were 11,244 students with disabilities in higher education in Ireland which equates to 5.1% of the total student population. The National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-2019 sets a target of 8% for students with disabilities as a percentage of all new entrants to higher education.
AHEAD website
Numbers of Students with Disabilities in Higher Education
The primary pieces of Irish legislation concerned with disability and employment are the Employment Equality Act 1998, the Employment Equality Act 2004, the Equal Status Act 2000, and the Disability Act 2005. The Employment Equality Act 1998-2004 covers employees in both the public and private sectors including people employed through employment agencies and applicants for employment and training. Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 covers the obligations on public service bodies to have 3% of people with disabilities amongst their employees.
2007 Report on Compliance with Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005
The Department of Social Protection runs Intreo which provides employment services and supports for jobseekers. There have been critiques of Intreo, however, by DPOs because of the way the system prioritises those on the live register which would often not include people with disabilities who are unemployed. The Department of Social Protection also provides the EmployAbility service which provides employment and recruitment services to people with disabilities and operates a reasonable accommodation fund which includes a Job Interview Interpreter Grant, Personal Reader Grant and Workplace Equipment Adaption Grant to support people with disabilities to gain and retain employment.
DFI Submission to the Department of Social Protection 2013
The Workplace Equipment Adaptation grant (WEAG) is available to people with disabilities who have been offered or are already in employment in the private sector. The grant can be used for equipment, or building and safety adaptations. The maximum grant available is €6348.70. Public Sector employers must adapt their workplace at their own cost. Under section 49 of the Disability Act public sector employers may be required to make adaptations or provide accessible supports in order to better facilitate the employment of people with disabilities.
Grants for adapting or equipping workplaces for people with disabilities
The Department of Social Protection provides the Wage Subsidy Scheme which is available to private sector employers who employ people with disabilities more than 20 hours per week. The Employee Retention Grant Scheme aims to support employers in the retention of employees who acquire an illness, condition or impairment which impacts on their ability to carry out their job. The Disability Awareness Training Support Scheme is available to all companies in the private sector and aims to promote the employment of people with disabilities by raising awareness and understanding amongst staff.
The National Disability Authority (NDA) is the independent state body that provides expert advice on disability policies to the government. The NDA assists the Department for Justice and Equality with disability policy. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is the national statutory body with responsibility for the collection, compilation, extraction and dissemination for statistical purposes of information relating to economic, social and general activities and conditions in the State. There are two national service-planning databases in Ireland for persons with disabilities, and these are managed by the Health Research Board, the National Intellectual Disability Database and the National Physical and Sensory Disability Database.
Disability data from the Central Statistics Office
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is the national statutory body with responsibility for the collection, compilation, extraction and dissemination for statistical purposes of information relating to economic, social and general activities and conditions in the State. CSO surveys with particular relevance in providing statistics on people with disabilities include; the Census of Population; the National Disability Survey; the Quarterly National Household Survey; and the annual Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC). People with disabilities are identified in both the National Census and the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS), and in both cases disability status is self-identified. The most recent National Disability Survey was completed in 2006 following the census in that year and has not been repeated following the census in 2011 or 2016. In the 2011 census people with disabilities equated to 13% of the population. The statistics for people with disabilities following the most recent census in 2016 are scheduled for release in November 2017.
National Disability Survey 1
National Disability Survey 2
The Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) is a large-scale, nationwide survey of households in Ireland. It is designed to produce quarterly labour force estimates that include the official measure of employment and unemployment in the state (ILO basis). The QNHS also conducts special modules on different social topics each quarter. In the QNHS (as in the National Census) disability is measured through self-identification. The most recent QNHS does not give data for persons with disabilities therefore the most recent data on disability and labour force participation is from the National Census in 2011 which showed that 30% of people with disabilities were participating in the labour force.
CSO labour market statistics:
The National Disability Authority (NDA), the independent statutory body charged with providing expert advice on disability policy, developed a suggested set of indicators designed to measure progress on the five high-level goals of the National Disability Strategy in terms of outcomes for individuals. Among the indicators identified was the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS). The QNHS most recent module on Equality is from Q3 2014 and details that 16% of people with a disability compared with 11% of those without a disability said that they felt discriminated against in the two years prior to the survey. The most recent National Disability Survey was completed in 2006 following the census in that year and has not been repeated following the census in 2011 or 2016.
National Disability Strategy outcome indicators
QNHS Equality Quarter 3 2014
The Department of Social Protection provides grants to employers to conduct disability awareness trainings. NCBI, DeafHear and the IWA all provide disability awareness training services. In recent years there has been an increased focus on awareness of mental health in Ireland through the efforts of organizations like Jigsaw, Mental Health Ireland, and See Change. The Training and Employment Agency offers disability awareness training for employers in order to assist with the employment and retention of people with disabilities in the workplace. A grant is available to employers of up to 90% of the cost in the first year and 80% in subsequent years up to a maximum of €20,000 per year.
National Mental Health Stigma Reduction Partnership Campaign
NCBI Disability Awareness
DeafHear Disability Awareness Training
IWA Disability Awareness Training
All teacher education programmes in Ireland must have professional accreditation if graduates are to be eligible for registration with the Teaching Council. The Teaching Council published the new criteria which must be met by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) providing programmes of teacher education in Ireland in 2011. Significantly, the criteria include the prescription of inclusive education amongst those areas of study and programmes which will be mandatory. The Strategy Statement of the Department of Education and Science (DES) 2011-2016 includes the long-term objective of enhancing the provision of special education. The Teacher Education Section (TES) of the DES established the Special Education Support Service (SESS) in September .The SESS works to provide professional development opportunities and supports to teachers in mainstream schools who have children with special education needs.
Initial Teacher Education: Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers (2011)
Department of Education and Skills Statement of Strategy 2011-2014
Policy Paper on the Continuum of Teacher Education
There is no formal requirement for disability awareness or equality issues to form part of initial training programmes for lawyers in Ireland. The Law Society of Ireland provides Professional Training courses and Continuous Professional Development modules (of which a certain number are mandatory). The Diploma programme has in the past included the option for a Certificate in Capacity, Mental Health and the law. However, attendance at disability or equality-based modules is not a mandatory requirement for the CPD Programme.
Law Society Module Information
Certificate in Capacity, Mental Health and the Law:
In their submission to the Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training Disability, the NDA advised the provision of disability awareness training for; Medical students throughout their undergraduate training and education; Academic staff; and practitioners supervising medical students on placement. The NDA also advised the development of a system of disability / equality proofing in undergraduate medical education and training, including recruitment and retention of people with disabilities and people covered by the other grounds under equality legislation. In 2007 the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies developed the evidence-based National Best Practice Guidelines for Informing Families of their Child’s Disability. In 2013 the Minister for Health provided funding that would allow for the national roll-out of the guidelines.
NDA submission to the Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training Disability.
National Federation of Voluntary Bodies - Guidelines for Informing Families of their Child’s Disability:
There is no mandatory disability awareness/equality issues component as part of initial engineer training in Ireland. Continuous Professional Development courses are offered by Engineers Ireland, but at time of publication none addressed disability or equality awareness training. Legislative reform in this area comes in the form of the Disability Act 2005. Part 6 of the Act establishes the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design. Part of the mandate of this facility is to ensure that, as far as is practicable, courses of education and training in the principles of universal design are provided for persons engaged in such work, including architects, engineers, town planners, systems analysts, software designers, transport providers and designers of passenger transport vehicles and passenger vessels, and to ensure the development of appropriate curricula so that the concept of universal design forms an integral part of the relevant courses.
Engineers Ireland training courses
Part 6 of the Disability Act 2005. (19 C)
Irish Aid is Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs international development agency. The primary focus of the Irish Aid programme is poverty reduction and sustainable development amongst the world’s poorest populations. In 2013 Irish Aid launched One World, One Future which outlines Ireland’s international development policy. The new policy states that they will devote more resources to disability and better integrate disability into their development interventions. In 2014 CBM Ireland sent a submission to the Review of Ireland’s Foreign Policy and External Relations which called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to become a member of the National Disability Stakeholders’ Group and to ensure that commitments made to promoting human rights for people with disabilities are carried out.
Irish Aid One World One Future
CBM’s Submission to the Review of Ireland’s Foreign Policy and External Relations
Dochas Submission to the Review of Ireland’s Foreign Policy and External Relations
[REQUEST_URI] => /dotcom?l%5B%5D=19&t%5B%5D=3&t%5B%5D=4&t%5B%5D=5&t%5B%5D=6&t%5B%5D=7&t%5B%5D=8&t%5B%5D=9&t%5B%5D=10&t%5B%5D=11&t%5B%5D=13&t%5B%5D=14&t%5B%5D=15&t%5B%5D=16&t%5B%5D=17&t%5B%5D=19&t%5B%5D=20&t%5B%5D=21&t%5B%5D=23&t%5B%5D=24&t%5B%5D=25&t%5B%5D=26&t%5B%5D=27&t%5B%5D=28&t%5B%5D=29&t%5B%5D=30&t%5B%5D=32&t%5B%5D=33&t%5B%5D=34&t%5B%5D=35&t%5B%5D=36&t%5B%5D=38&t%5B%5D=39&t%5B%5D=40&t%5B%5D=41&t%5B%5D=43&t%5B%5D=44&t%5B%5D=45&t%5B%5D=46&t%5B%5D=48&t%5B%5D=49&t%5B%5D=50&t%5B%5D=51&t%5B%5D=52&t%5B%5D=53&view_type=list
[QUERY_STRING] => l%5B%5D=19&t%5B%5D=3&t%5B%5D=4&t%5B%5D=5&t%5B%5D=6&t%5B%5D=7&t%5B%5D=8&t%5B%5D=9&t%5B%5D=10&t%5B%5D=11&t%5B%5D=13&t%5B%5D=14&t%5B%5D=15&t%5B%5D=16&t%5B%5D=17&t%5B%5D=19&t%5B%5D=20&t%5B%5D=21&t%5B%5D=23&t%5B%5D=24&t%5B%5D=25&t%5B%5D=26&t%5B%5D=27&t%5B%5D=28&t%5B%5D=29&t%5B%5D=30&t%5B%5D=32&t%5B%5D=33&t%5B%5D=34&t%5B%5D=35&t%5B%5D=36&t%5B%5D=38&t%5B%5D=39&t%5B%5D=40&t%5B%5D=41&t%5B%5D=43&t%5B%5D=44&t%5B%5D=45&t%5B%5D=46&t%5B%5D=48&t%5B%5D=49&t%5B%5D=50&t%5B%5D=51&t%5B%5D=52&t%5B%5D=53&view_type=list
[REDIRECT_QUERY_STRING] => l%5B%5D=19&t%5B%5D=3&t%5B%5D=4&t%5B%5D=5&t%5B%5D=6&t%5B%5D=7&t%5B%5D=8&t%5B%5D=9&t%5B%5D=10&t%5B%5D=11&t%5B%5D=13&t%5B%5D=14&t%5B%5D=15&t%5B%5D=16&t%5B%5D=17&t%5B%5D=19&t%5B%5D=20&t%5B%5D=21&t%5B%5D=23&t%5B%5D=24&t%5B%5D=25&t%5B%5D=26&t%5B%5D=27&t%5B%5D=28&t%5B%5D=29&t%5B%5D=30&t%5B%5D=32&t%5B%5D=33&t%5B%5D=34&t%5B%5D=35&t%5B%5D=36&t%5B%5D=38&t%5B%5D=39&t%5B%5D=40&t%5B%5D=41&t%5B%5D=43&t%5B%5D=44&t%5B%5D=45&t%5B%5D=46&t%5B%5D=48&t%5B%5D=49&t%5B%5D=50&t%5B%5D=51&t%5B%5D=52&t%5B%5D=53&view_type=list
[REMOTE_PORT] => 45524
[SERVER_NAME] => disability-europe.net
[HTTP_HOST] => disability-europe.net
[SCRIPT_URI] => http://disability-europe.net/dotcom
[UNIQUE_ID] => WmMh-cCoFCwAAYDsq3cAAAED
[REDIRECT_SCRIPT_URI] => http://disability-europe.net/dotcom
[REDIRECT_UNIQUE_ID] => WmMh-cCoFCwAAYDsq3cAAAED
[REQUEST_TIME_FLOAT] => 1516446205.0503
[REQUEST_TIME] => 1516446205
[lft] => 70
[rgt] => 71
[location_id] => 19
[location_slug] => ireland
[contents] => Ireland has not yet ratified the UN Convention, despite being one of the first countries to sign it in 2007. On 21 October 2015 the Department of Justice and Equality released a Roadmap to Ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Roadmap lists legislative amendments that the Government of Ireland states must be enacted prior to ratification of the CRPD.  The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015, which reforms the law on legal capacity and had been identified as a key piece of legislation that must be implemented before ratification, was signed into law by the President of Ireland on the 30 December 2015. Some sections of the Act, which relate to the establishment of the Decision Support Service, the appointment of a Director of the Decision Support Service and codes of practice, were commenced in October 2016. It is not yet know how long these processes will take or when the rest of the Act may be commenced. Section 5 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993, which relates to sexual acts with mentally impaired persons, has also been identified as a provision in need of reform and was amended under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017. In August 2016, the government published the General Scheme of the Equality/Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill which outlines the final technical amendments to disability and equality legislation necessary before Ireland can ratify. As of April 2017 the Bill is going through the Dáil.
[update_date] => 2017-05-16 16:58:41
[title] => Roadmap to CRPD Ratification
[url] => http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/PB15000549
[title] => Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2015/act/64/enacted/en/html
[title] => Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016
[url] => https://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=34322&&CatID=59
[contents] => Ireland has not signed or ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention. The Roadmap to Ratification of the CRPD states that the government intends to sign and ratify the Optional Protocol at the same time the government ratifies the CRPD.
[update_date] => 2016-05-02 13:52:57
[contents] => Although Ireland has not yet ratified the UN Convention or its Optional Protocol the Roadmap to Ratification sets out a list of contemplated reservations and declarations. The Roadmap states a reservation may be put forward for Article 27 (a) and (b) pending legal advice. On declarations, the Roadmap states that Article 5 (3) may be subject to a declaration of progressive realisation. The Roadmap states that a declaration would be made for Article 12 (2) 'along the lines of those entered by Canada, Australia and Norway on ratification.' The Roadmap also states that a declaration would be made for Article 14 (1)(a) on involuntary detention that would be similar to Australia’s and Norway's declaration.
[update_date] => 2016-05-02 14:00:29
[contents] => On 21 October 2015 the Department of Justice released a Roadmap to Ratification that sets out a schedule of legislative amendments that must be ratified prior to the CRPD ratification.
[update_date] => 2016-05-02 14:08:32
[title] => Roadmap to Ratification
[contents] => Although the CRPD has not yet been ratified, the 2015 Roadmap to Ratification designates the Equality Division in the Department of Justice as the focal point.
[update_date] => 2016-05-02 14:31:33
[title] => Roadmap to the CRPD Ratification
[contents] => The 2015 Roadmap to CRPD Ratification does not include any plans for a coordination mechanism.
[update_date] => 2016-05-02 15:37:35
[contents] => The Roadmap for Ratification designates the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission as the potential future independent mechanism responsible for protecting, promoting and monitoring implementation of the Convention. The Roadmap gives the National Disability Authority the responsibility to prepare independent assessments of progress. The National Disability Authority's assessments would inform the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission for their independent reports to the UN.
[update_date] => 2016-05-02 15:36:32
[contents] => The initial state report to the CRPD Committe will be due two years from the date of ratification. Since Ireland has not yet ratified, no process of preparing a report is currently underway, although it is likely that bi-annual progress reports currently prepared under the National Disability Strategy may feed into this process as a basis for reporting progress.
[update_date] => 2015-03-03 13:55:59
[url] => http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/TBSearch.aspx?Lang=en&TreatyID=4&CountryID=83&DocTypeID=29
[title] => Link to all UN reporting cycle documentation:
[url] => http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/TBSearch.aspx?Lang=en&TreatyID=4&CountryID=83
[contents] => Since Ireland has not yet ratified the Convention it is too early to determine how a shadow report will be prepared. However, the disability organisations represented on the Disability Stakeholders Group and the National Disability Strategy Stakeholders Monitoring Group could potentially be involved, or a collaborative network of stakeholders may form, as for the law reform process on legal capacity.
[update_date] => 2015-03-11 11:19:07
[url] => http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/TBSearch.aspx?Lang=en&TreatyID=4&CountryID=83&DocTypeID=14
[title] => Monitoring the National Disability Strategy:
[url] => http://www.nda.ie/website/nda/cntmgmtnew.nsf/0/09CA28BE807B3A9E8025761500512A08?OpenDocument
[contents] => Article 40(1) of the Irish Constitution states that all persons shall be held equal before the law. The Employment Equality Acts (EEA) 1998-2011 and the Equal Status Acts (ESA) 2000 to 2012 are the principal pieces of anti-discrimination law in Ireland. Both acts prohibit discrimination on the grounds of disability.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 10:39:49
[title] => Constitution of Ireland
[url] => http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/upload/static/256.htm
[title] => Guide to the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2008
[url] => http://www.equality.ie/Files/Guide-to-the-Employment-Equality-Acts-1998-2008.pdf
[title] => Guide to the Equal Status Acts 2000-2008
[url] => http://www.equality.ie/en/Information/Equal-Status/
[contents] => There is a common law presumption that persons over the age of 18 have legal capacity to make decisions. On 30 December 2015 Ireland signed into law the new legislation on legal capacity, the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015. The new law applies to people over 18. Under the new law a person whose mental capacity is questioned is presumed to have legal capacity unless shown to the contrary. Capacity under this law is based on a functional approach and 'assessed on the basis of his or her ability to understand at the time a decision is to be made, the nature and consequences of the decision to be made by him or her in the context of the available choices at the time.'
[update_date] => 2017-05-17 12:43:14
[url] => http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=24147
[title] => Ward of Court System
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/legal_matters_and_health/wards_of_court.html
[title] => Statutory Instruments to Commence the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/isbc/2015_64.html
[contents] => Under Irish law, the right to vote is covered under Article 16.2 of the Constitution which confers this right on all citizens over 18 years of age and other persons in the state as defined by law (e.g. British citizens can vote in Irish elections if they are residing in Ireland). The physical accessibility of polling stations is covered by the Disability Act 2005 provisions on accessibility of buildings and public services (sections 25 to 28). The Disability Act also requires information and communications between public bodies and people with disabilities to be accessible (section 28) which would extend to voting and campaign information.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 10:41:52
[title] => Disability Act 2005
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2005/en/act/pub/0014/
[contents] => Irish sign language is not currently recognized as an official language of the State and has no official status in Irish legislation. The 2011-2016 Programme for Government (policy aims and objectives) contains a commitment to 'examine different mechanisms to promote the recognition of Irish Sign Language'. A bill to recognize sign language was put up for a vote in the Seanad in 2014 but was defeated.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 10:46:25
[title] => 2011-2016 Programme for Government
[url] => http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/eng/Work_Of_The_Department/Programme_for_Government/Programme_for_Government_2011-2016.pdf
[title] => Senate 2014 vote to recognise Irish sign language
[url] => http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/takes/seanad2014012200043?opendocument
[title] => Seanad Vote on Irish Sign Language Recognition
[contents] => Following the expiration of the National Disability Strategy in 2015, the Department of Justice and Equality have prepared a Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017 – 2020. The Strategy was prepared following a consultation process in 2015/2016. The process provided interested parties with the opportunity to make recommendations in key areas such as service provision, accommodation, health, employment, transport and education. The Strategy identifies and agrees specific actions and timescales for delivery under the following eight themes: Equality and Choice; Joined up policies and public services; Education; Employment; Health and Wellbeing; Person centred disability services; Living in the Community; and Transport and Accessible Places. The Department outlines that it expects to publish the Strategy in Quarter 2 of 2017.
[update_date] => 2017-05-17 13:14:41
[title] => National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2020
[url] => http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/WP15000115
[title] =>  Consultation Document
[url] => http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/National-Disability-Strategy-Inclusion-Plan-Phase-3-Consultation-Document.pdf/Files/National-Disability-Strategy-Inclusion-Plan-Phase-3-Consultation-Document.pdf
[contents] => Public services (including transport) are required to be accessible according to the Disability Act 2005. Under this Act, the Transport Sectoral plan was first prepared in 2006 and the most recent update to the plan was published in 2012. The Act’s requirements for accessibility extend to all public transport services (public services as defined in the Act include any services provided by companies which are funded by a Minister or the Government). Airplanes or a service provided by a person who only operates a train service or railway infrastructure of historic or touristic interest,’ however, are not covered by the act.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 12:49:59
[title] => The Sectoral Plan for Accessible Transport (2012 edition)
[url] => http://www.dttas.ie/public-transport/publications/english/sectoral-plan-accessible-transport-transport-access-all
[title] => Sectoral Plan for Accessible Transport (2006 edition)
[url] => http://www.dttas.ie/sites/default/files/publications/public-transport/english/sectoral-plan-accessible-transport-under-disability-act-2005/sectoral-plan-accessible-transport-under-disability-act-2005.pdf
[title] => Review of Department of Transport disability sectoral plan
[url] => http://www.dttas.ie/publictransport/sectoral-plan-review.aspx
[title] => National Disability Authority, Transport and access for people with disabilities
[url] => http://nda.ie/Image-Library/PDF-Downloads/Transport-and-disability-by-geographical-area-pdf.pdf
[title] => Does Ireland provide equal public transport to wheelchair users? Thejournal.ie (17 August 2014)
[url] => http://www.thejournal.ie/public-transport-wheelchair-access-1615874-Aug2014/
[contents] => Under the Disability Act 2005, public bodies must ensure, as far as practicable, that their buildings are accessible to people with disabilities. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is responsible for ensuring accessibility of the built environment and has a sectoral plan setting out how accessibility. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is also responsible for updating and enforcing the standards set out in Part M (Access for People with Disabilities) of the national Building Regulations.. Part M of the Building Regulations requires that ‘adequate provision shall be made to enable people with disabilities to safely and independently access and use a building’. Originally Part M only applied to non-domestic buildings but was amended in 2000 and since January 2001 requires new dwellings to be accessible to people with disabilities. The Employment and Equality Acts and Equal Status Acts also impose some requirements regarding building accessibility.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 12:55:09
[title] => Sectoral Plan of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
[url] => http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/LocalGovernmentAdministration/SectoralPlan/
[title] => Schedule M
[url] => http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad,1655,en.pdf
[title] =>  National Disability Authority Guidelines for Access Auditing of the Built Environment
[url] => http://nda.ie/Resources/Accessibility-toolkit/Make-your-buildings-more-accessible/Guidelines-for-Access-Auditing-of-the-Built-Environment.html
[title] => National Disability Authority Building for Everyone: A Universal Design Approach
[url] => http://universaldesign.ie/Built-Environment/Building-for-Everyone
[contents] => The Disability Act 2005 requires all information and communications between public bodies and people with disabilities to be accessible. The Commission for Communication Regulations or ComReg is the commission responsible for regulating the electronic communications and postal sector in Ireland. In 2010 they surveyed ICT users with disabilities in Ireland and found that there was a need to increase awareness disability specific programs and equipment.
[update_date] => 2017-07-21 13:34:04
[title] => Irish National IT Accessibility Guidelines
[url] => http://www.universaldesign.ie/useandapply/ict/irishnationalitaccessibilityguidelines
[title] => Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act 2005
[url] => http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/NR/rdonlyres/86EAF9C1-6F7C-45ED-9F30-60775F3EF42D/0/justicerevisedpublishableplan.pdf
[title] => Report on the Progress of the Sectoral Plan
[url] => http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/dept%20communications%20review%20of%20sectoral%20plan.pdf/Files/dept%20communications%20review%20of%20sectoral%20plan.pdf
[title] => Emergency Call Answering Service
[url] => http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Communications/Business+and+Technology/Emergency+Call+-+112/Emergency+Call+Answering+Service.htm
[title] => Consumers with Disabilities Telecommunications Research
[url] => http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/Consumers%20with%20Disabilities_FINAL.pdf
[title] => Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources-Emergency Call Answering Service
[contents] => There is no mandatory obligation for a person with a disability to live in a particular living arrangement. The right to live in the community, as opposed to in an institution, exists and has been affirmed in the Towards 2016- Ten-Year Framework Social Partnership Agreement 2006-2015 which states, ‘The parties to the agreement share a vision of an Ireland where people with disabilities have, to the greatest extent possible, the opportunity to live a full life with their families as part of the local community free from discrimination’. There is also the National Housing Strategy which aims to promote living in the community through targeted plans that address the specific needs of different groups of people with disabilities. In 2011 the HSE produced a Strategy on Community Inclusion which set out how best to move people with disabilities from congregated settings to the community using person centred approaches.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 13:06:24
[title] => Towards 2016- Ten-Year Framework Social Partnership Agreement 2006-2015
[url] => http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/attached_files/Pdf%20files/Towards2016PartnershipAgreement.pdf
[title] => Strategy on Community Inclusion
[url] => http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/disability/congregatedsettings/congregatedsettingsreportfinal.pdf
[title] => National Housing Strategy for People with Disabilities 2011-2016
[url] => http://www.environ.ie/en/DevelopmentHousing/Housing/PublicationsDocuments/FileDownLoad,28016,en.pdf
[contents] => The process of deinstitutionalisation of people from long-stay hospitals and large scale congregated settings has been underway since the 1970s.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 13:10:27
[title] => Isolated and institutionalised: the reality of life for many mentally ill patients in community care, Irish Times
[url] => http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/isolated-and-institutionalised-the-reality-of-life-for-many-mentally-ill-patients-in-community-care-1.1842799
[title] => Time to Move on from Congregated Settings: A Strategy for Community Inclusion
[url] => http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/Publications/services/Disability/timetomoveonfromcongregatedsettings.pdf
[contents] => The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is an independent authority responsible for setting standards and monitoring residential services for children, older people and people with disabilities in Ireland under the Health Act 2007. HIQA is responsible for the Social Services Inspectorate which registers and inspects residential settings. In 2013 HIQA published the National Standards for Residential Services for Children and Adults with Disabilities. The standards apply to all public, private and voluntary residential services and residential respite services including supported community living services. In December 2014 the national broadcaster aired an expose on an evening news program about extensive abuse of older people with intellectual disabilities in a residential service. This resulted in some discussion over the effectiveness of the HIQA inspections and subsequently HIQA in 2015 have found improved standard in the service. In February 2016 HIQA published a guidance document for services and health and social care professionals on supporting people's autonomy.
[update_date] => 2017-05-17 13:16:45
[title] => Health Information and Quality Authority
[url] => http://www.hiqa.ie/
[title] => Health Act 2007
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2007/en/act/pub/0023/index.html
[title] => National Standards for Residential Services for Children and Adults with Disabilities
[url] => http://www.hiqa.ie/standards/social/people-with-disabilities
[title] => ‘Casual nature of Aras Attracta abuse most disturbing’, Irish Times
[url] => http://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/casual-nature-of-%C3%A1ras-attracta-abuse-most-disturbing-1.2031919
[title] => Supporting people's autonomy: a guidance document
[url] => https://www.hiqa.ie/sites/default/files/2017-01/Supporting-Peoples-Autonomy.pdf
[contents] => Holders of a medical card or long term illness card may be entitled to get certain assistive devices free of charge through the health system. A housing adaptation grant for people with a disability is available on a means tested basis where changes need to be made to a home to make it suitable for a person with a physical, sensory or intellectual disability, or a mental health difficulty, to live in. The Mobility Aids Grant Scheme is also available to people with disabilities needed to make mobility related adaptations in their home. A person cannot apply for both the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme and the Housing Adaptation Grant. The Central Remedial Clinic, the National Association for Deaf People, Irish Wheelchair Association, the National Council for the Blind of Ireland and Enable Ireland are non-governmental organizations that also provide free assistive technology. Enable Ireland also provides courses on assistive technology. The IWA also operates an initiative that assists and supports people with disabilities to get social housing. The Citizen’s Information Board runs a website that provides information about assistive technology, daily living aids and mobility aids.
[update_date] => 2016-05-02 14:58:25
[title] => Housing Adaptation Grant
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/housing_grants_and_schemes/housing_adaptation_grant_for_people_with_disability.html
[title] => IWA Assistive Technology
[url] => http://www.wheelchairsolutions.ie/
[title] => CRC Assistive Technology
[url] => http://www.crc.ie/what-we-do/for-teenagers-and-adults/assistive-technology-and-specialised-seating/
[title] => DeafHear
[url] => https://www.deafhear.ie/DeafHear/servicesAssistiveTechnology.html
[title] => Medical Card information
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/entitlement_to_health_services/medical_card.html
[title] => Long Term Illness Card information
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/health_related_benefits_and_entitlements/long_term_illness_scheme.html
[title] => Mobility Aids Grant Scheme
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/housing_grants_and_schemes/mobility_aids_grant_scheme.html
[title] => Enable Ireland Assistive Technology Courses
[url] => http://www.enableireland.ie/products-technology/at-training/courses-seminars
[title] => NCBI Assistive Technology
[url] => https://www.ncbi.ie/services/services-for-individuals/types-of-assistive-technologies-available
[title] => Assist Ireland
[url] => http://www.assistireland.ie/eng/
[contents] => Personal assistance (PA) services are mainly funded through the Health Service. Non-Governmental organizations such as Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) also provide personal assistance programmes through county level offices. The IWA provides two different types of assisted living services, self-directed or supported. Under the self-directed package the person with the disability is in charge of the provision of services rather than a service manager. The Centres for Independent Living in Ireland (CILs) also provide person centred PA services. There are 22 CILs throughout Ireland which are run by persons with disabilities and promote person centred service approaches. In 2014 the Disability Federation of Ireland published a report on PA services in Ireland. The report highlighted the importance of PA services to fully enable people with disabilities to live in the community and recommended recognising the PA service on a statutory basis as well as providing a dedicated funding stream. The Department of Health has established a Task Force on Personalised Budgets to make recommendations on a personalised budgets model which will give people with disabilities more control in accessing health funded personal social services such as personal assistance. The Taskforce aims to recommend an approach and a suggested implementation strategy for the Government’s consideration by the end of 2017.
[update_date] => 2017-05-17 13:18:46
[title] => Personal Assistance through the HSE
[url] => http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/disability/
[title] => IWA Personal Assistance
[url] => http://www.iwa.ie/services/assisted-living-services
[title] => CIL Personal Assistance Services
[url] => http://www.dublincil.org/direct-services.asp
[title] => DFI PA Services Report
[url] => http://www.disability-federation.ie/userfiles/file/DFI001_Access_to_life_report_.pdf
[title] =>  Information on PA services for students
[url] => http://www.hea.ie/en/studying-with-disability
[title] =>  Task Force on Personalised Budgets
[url] => http://health.gov.ie/disabilities/task-force-on-personalised-budgets/
[contents] => Payments for persons with disabilities are paid by the Department of Social Protection. Depending on a person’s situation they may qualify for the Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) based Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension which require fulfilment of PRSI contribution conditions and a medical assessment or means-tested benefits such as the Disability Allowance or Blind Pension. Recipients of the Disability Allowance and Blind Pension in addition to the means test must also satisfy the habitual residence condition. From March 2017 the weekly maximum rate for the blind pension and  disability allowance at the personal rate was EUR 193.00 weekly. The independent agency, the Social Welfare Appeals Office can hear appeals of social welfare decisions.
[update_date] => 2017-05-17 13:20:51
[title] => General Information on Social Welfare Benefits regarding disability
[url] => http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Pages/DisabilityIllness.aspx
[title] => Disability Allowance
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/disability_and_illness/disability_allowance.html
[title] => Blind Pension
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/disability_and_illness/blind_persons_pension.html
[title] => Social Welfare Appeals Office
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/social_welfare_appeals.html
[contents] => There is no specific cost of disability payment in Ireland, instead, a number of additional cash benefits are available to off-set the additional living costs of people with disabilities. The Free travel pass entitles the holder (and sometimes a companion) to freely travel on all state transport. This pass is slowly transitioning to the Public Services Card Free Travel. Carers Allowance is a means tested benefit paid to people who provide full-time care to someone over 16 years of age who requires ‘full time care and attention’. The Domiciliary Care Allowance is available to a person caring for a child under the age of 16 who has ‘severe disability, who requires ongoing care and attention’ and they may also be entitled to a annual payment known as the Carers Support Grant. Disabled Persons Parking Cards can be used in public parking areas.
[update_date] => 2017-05-17 13:53:16
[title] => Information on disability entitlements
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/disability_and_illness/benefits_to_people_who_are_sick_or_have_a_disability.html
[title] => Treatment Benefit Scheme
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/disability_and_illness/treatment_benefit_scheme.html
[title] => Free Travel Pass/ Public Services Card Free Travel
[url] => http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/How-do-I-qualify-for-free-travel.aspx
[title] => Domiciliary Care Allowance
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/disability_and_illness/domiciliary_care_allowance.html
[title] => Carers Allowance
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/carers/carers_allowance.html
[title] => Disabled Persons Parking Card
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/traffic_and_parking/disabled_persons_parking_card.html
[title] => Government decision on Motorized Transport Grant and Mobility Allowance
[url] => http://health.gov.ie/blog/press-release/government-decision-in-relation-to-a-travel-subsidy-for-people-with-a-disability/
[contents] => People on disability allowance move to a State Pension (Non-Contributory) at age 66, the State Pension (Non –Contributory) falls under the remit of the Department of Social Protection. The Social Welfare’s Appeal Office hears appeals related the the State Pension schemes. The Pension Board, established under the 1990 act, regulates: occupational pension schemes, trust RACs, Personal Retirement Savings Accounts in Ireland. The National Pensions Board has appointed Access Officers in accordance with section 26(2) of the Disability Act 2005, who are responsible for ensuring that the Pension Board’s services are accessible to people with disabilities. A complaint may be made against The Pensions Board if it does not comply with the provisions of Sections 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the Disability Act, 2005.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 13:32:31
[title] => State Pension (Non-Contributory)
[url] => http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/248_State-Pension-Non-Contributory.aspx
[title] => Access Officers:
[url] => http://www.pensionsauthority.ie/en/Dealing_with_us/Access_officers_under_the_Disability_Act_2005_/
[contents] => The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (EPSEN) 2004 states that: A child with special educational needs shall be educated in an inclusive environment with children who do not have such needs unless the nature or degree of those needs of the child is such that to do so would be inconsistent with - (a) the best interests of the child as determined in accordance with any assessment carried out under this Act, or (b) the effective provision of education for children with whom the child is to be educated. Under the EPSEN Act children with disabilities are to be largely included in mainstream schools. The EPSEN Act also established the National Council for Special Education which works with schools and other actors to provide education and support services to children with special needs education.  There are around 139 Special Schools still in operation in Ireland but a 2014 report that analysed data from 2007/2008 found that just 2.1% of children surveyed with Special Education Needs were in special schools.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 13:38:09
[title] => Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004
[url] => http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/acts/2004/A3004.pdf
[contents] => Section 7 of the Equal Status Act 2000 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability at an ‘educational establishment’. This term is broadly defined to ensure that all educational establishments, private and public, from pre-school facilities through to third level institutions, fall within the definition of an ‘educational establishment’. Current government policy in Ireland is to encourage the maximum possible inclusion for children with special educational needs in mainstream schools as per the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. There are several ways support may be provided to a child with a disability in a mainstream school. Learning support or resource teachers are available through a general allocation which the school then determines how to disperse. This is commonly used for high incidence needs and low support requirements. For children with hearing impairments, visual impairments, autism and general learning disabilities individual applications to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for resource teaching hours is required. There are also Special Needs Assistants who provide non-teaching care support. Special classes catering for students from a particular category of need (for example autism) within a mainstream setting are also on the increase in recent years.
[update_date] => 2017-05-17 13:56:52
[title] => Equal Status Act 2000
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2000/en/act/pub/0008/sec0007.html#sec7
[title] => Citizens Information on Special Needs Education
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/primary_and_post_primary_education/going_to_primary_school/special_needs_education_primary_schools.html
[title] => Resource Teaching and SNA Allocations to Schools
[url] => http://ncse.ie/statistics
[title] => NCSE Report - Special Classes in Irish Schools
[url] => https://www.esri.ie/pubs/BKMNEXT308.pdf
[contents] => The key focus of the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (EPSEN) is the right to an appropriate education in an inclusive setting wherever possible but there is no specific obligation to provide Braille and sign language services. Special Needs Assistants, however, may be used to provide sign language support. The National Braille Production Centre provides Braille transcription services for textbooks to all children with a registered visual impairment in Ireland.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 13:41:11
[title] => Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2004/en/act/pub/0030/index.html
[title] => Debate on Irish Sign Language provision in the houses of the Oireachtas
[url] => http://debates.oireachtas.ie/seanad/2011/07/05/00011.asp
[title] => Education Circular Special Needs Assistant
[url] => http://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0030_2014.pdf
[title] => National Braille Production Center
[url] => http://www.braille.ie/
[contents] => Section 12 of the Employment Equality Act 1998 expressly forbids discrimination by any bodies offering vocational training. One of the high level goals of the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016 is enhanced vocational training opportunities for people with disabilities. Solas is the organization that oversees the government’s further education and training programs. The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme is open to people with disabilities who have been unemployed or on disability allowance or the blind pension for 6 months or more. Since 2013 the Education and Training Boards are responsible for education and training centres in their localities. Solas’s 2014 Further Education and Training Plan highlighted the fact that people with disabilities are one of the most at-risk groups for falling into long term employment and the regional plans included Specialist Training Programs which are targeted at people with disabilities.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 13:52:49
[title] => Solas
[url] => http://www.solas.ie/
[title] => National Learning Network Disability Support
[url] => http://www.nln.ie/learning-and-assessment-services/disability-support-service.aspx
[title] => Education and Training Boards Act 2013
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2013/en/act/pub/0011/
[title] => Solas Further Education and Training Plan 2014
[url] => http://www.solas.ie/docs/FETServicesPlan.pdf
[title] => Equality Employment Act 1998
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1998/en/act/pub/0021/sec0012.html#sec12
[title] => National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016
[url] => http://www.socialinclusion.ie/nationalactionplan2007.html
[title] => Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/returning_to_education/vocational_training_opportunities_scheme.html
[contents] => A number of access programmes provide assistance to people with disabilities in accessing higher education. One example is the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) programme. DARE initiatives include a third level admission scheme for students with disabilities under the age of 23, places allocated on a reduced points scheme to school leavers whose disability has affected their education performance significantly, a website with information on those unis involved in DARE, assistance in applying through the Central Admissions Office.  The Association for Higher Education Access and Disability (AHEAD) is a non-profit organisation that promotes full access and participation of students with disabilities in higher education. In 2015/2016 academic year there were 11,244 students with disabilities in higher education in Ireland which equates to 5.1% of the total student population. The National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-2019 sets a target of 8% for students with disabilities as a percentage of all new entrants to higher education.
[update_date] => 2017-05-17 13:59:44
[title] => National Access Plan
[url] => http://www.hea.ie/en/policy/national-access-office/national-plans-equity-access-higher-education/2015-2019-access-plan
[title] => Universities Act 1997
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1997/en/act/pub/0024/index.html
[title] => AHEAD website
[url] => http://ahead.ie/
[title] => Equal Status Acts
[url] => http://www.lawreform.ie/_fileupload/Restatement/First%20Programme%20of%20Restatement/EN_ACT_2000_0008.PDF
[title] => Numbers of Students with Disabilities in Higher Education
[url] => https://www.ahead.ie/userfiles/files/shop/free/Rates%2015-16%20Online.pdf
[contents] => The primary pieces of Irish legislation concerned with disability and employment are the Employment Equality Act 1998, the Employment Equality Act 2004, the Equal Status Act 2000, and the Disability Act 2005. The Employment Equality Act 1998-2004 covers employees in both the public and private sectors including people employed through employment agencies and applicants for employment and training. Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 covers the obligations on public service bodies to have 3% of people with disabilities amongst their employees.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 14:01:04
[title] => Employment Equality Act 1998
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1998/en/act/pub/0021/index.html
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2005/en/act/pub/0014/index.html
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA8Y2000.html
[title] => Equality Act 2004
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2004/en/act/pub/0024/index.html
[title] => 2007 Report on Compliance with Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005
[url] => http://www.nda.ie/cntmgmtnew.nsf/0/922242B407D6E67D8025752000472790/$File/Part5_2007.pdf
[contents] => The Department of Social Protection runs Intreo which provides employment services and supports for jobseekers. There have been critiques of Intreo, however, by DPOs because of the way the system prioritises those on the live register which would often not include people with disabilities who are unemployed. The Department of Social Protection also provides the EmployAbility service which provides employment and recruitment services to people with disabilities and operates a reasonable accommodation fund which includes a Job Interview Interpreter Grant, Personal Reader Grant and Workplace Equipment Adaption Grant to support people with disabilities to gain and retain employment.
[update_date] => 2017-07-21 13:10:26
[title] => EmployAbility
[url] => http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Work-Supports-for-People-with-a-Disability_holder.aspx
[title] => Intreo
[url] => http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Intreo_home.aspx
[title] => DFI Submission to the Department of Social Protection 2013
[url] => http://www.disability-federation.ie/index.php?uniqueID=10922
[title] => Reasonable Accommodation Fund
[url] => http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Reasonable-Accommodation-Fund_holder.aspx
[contents] => The Workplace Equipment Adaptation grant (WEAG) is available to people with disabilities who have been offered or are already in employment in the private sector. The grant can be used for equipment, or building and safety adaptations. The maximum grant available is €6348.70.  Public Sector employers must adapt their workplace at their own cost. Under section 49 of the Disability Act public sector employers may be required to make adaptations or provide accessible supports in order to better facilitate the employment of people with disabilities.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 14:08:50
[title] => Workplace Equipment Adaptation grant
[url] => http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Workplace-Equipment-Adaptation-Grant.aspx
[title] => Grants for adapting or equipping workplaces for people with disabilities
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_and_disability/grants_for_adapting_or_equipping_the_workplace_for_disabled_staff.html
[contents] => The Department of Social Protection provides the Wage Subsidy Scheme which is available to private sector employers who employ people with disabilities more than 20 hours per week. The Employee Retention Grant Scheme aims to support employers in the retention of employees who acquire an illness, condition or impairment which impacts on their ability to carry out their job. The Disability Awareness Training Support Scheme is available to all companies in the private sector and aims to promote the employment of people with disabilities by raising awareness and understanding amongst staff.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 14:10:43
[title] => Employee Retention Grant Scheme:
[url] => http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_and_disability/grants_for_employers_to_retain_employees_with_disabilities.html
[title] => Wage Subsidy Scheme
[url] => http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Supports-for-People-with-Disabilities-and-for-Employers---SW.aspx
[title] => Disability Awareness Training Support Scheme
[url] => http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Disability-Awareness-Training_holder.aspx
[contents] => The National Disability Authority (NDA) is the independent state body that provides expert advice on disability policies to the government. The NDA assists the Department for Justice and Equality with disability policy. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is the national statutory body with responsibility for the collection, compilation, extraction and dissemination for statistical purposes of information relating to economic, social and general activities and conditions in the State. There are two national service-planning databases in Ireland for persons with disabilities, and these are managed by the Health Research Board,  the National Intellectual Disability Database and the National Physical and Sensory Disability Database.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 14:15:40
[title] => Disability data from the Central Statistics Office
[url] => http://cso.ie/en/search/index.html?q=disab
[title] => Health Research Board
[url] => http://www.hrb.ie/
[title] => National Intellectual Disability Database
[url] => http://www.hrb.ie/health-information-in-house-research/disability/nidd/
[title] => National Physical and Sensory Disability Database
[url] => http://www.hrb.ie/health-information-in-house-research/disability/npsdd/
[contents] => The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is the national statutory body with responsibility for the collection, compilation, extraction and dissemination for statistical purposes of information relating to economic, social and general activities and conditions in the State. CSO surveys with particular relevance in providing statistics on people with disabilities include; the Census of Population; the National Disability Survey; the Quarterly National Household Survey; and the annual Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC). People with disabilities are identified in both the National Census and the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS), and in both cases disability status is self-identified. The most recent National Disability Survey was completed in 2006 following the census in that year and has not been repeated following the census in 2011 or 2016. In the 2011 census people with disabilities equated to 13% of the population. The statistics for people with disabilities following the most recent census in 2016 are scheduled for release in November 2017.
[update_date] => 2017-05-17 14:02:57
[title] => Census Data 2011
[url] => http://www.cso.ie/en/census/census2011reports/census2011thisisirelandpart2/
[title] => National Disability Survey 1
[url] => http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/releasespublications/documents/otherreleases/nationaldisability/National_Disability_Survey_2006_First_Results_full_report.pdf
[title] => National Disability Survey 2
[url] => http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/releasespublications/documents/otherreleases/nationaldisabilityvol2/NDS2006Publication.pdf
[title] => Equality Module
[url] => http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/releasespublications/documents/labourmarket/2010/qnhs_equalityq42010.pdf
[contents] => The Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) is a large-scale, nationwide survey of households in Ireland. It is designed to produce quarterly labour force estimates that include the official measure of employment and unemployment in the state (ILO basis). The QNHS also conducts special modules on different social topics each quarter. In the QNHS (as in the National Census) disability is measured through self-identification. The most recent QNHS does not give data for persons with disabilities therefore the most recent data on disability and labour force participation is from the National Census in 2011 which showed that 30% of people with disabilities were participating in the labour force.
[update_date] => 2017-05-17 15:33:49
[title] => Quarterly National Household Survey
[url] => http://www.cso.ie/en/qnhs/abouttheqnhs/whatistheqnhs/
[title] => CSO labour market statistics:
[url] => http://www.cso.ie/en/statistics/labourmarket/
[url] => http://www.cso.ie/px/pxeirestat/Statire/SelectVarVal/Define.asp?maintable=CD811&PLanguage=0
[contents] => The National Disability Authority (NDA), the independent statutory body charged with providing expert advice on disability policy, developed a suggested set of indicators designed to measure progress on the five high-level goals of the National Disability Strategy in terms of outcomes for individuals. Among the indicators identified was the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS). The QNHS most recent module on Equality is from Q3 2014 and details that 16% of people with a disability compared with 11% of those without a disability said that they felt discriminated against in the two years prior to the survey. The most recent National Disability Survey was completed in 2006 following the census in that year and has not been repeated following the census in 2011 or 2016.
[update_date] => 2017-05-17 14:04:37
[title] => National Disability Strategy outcome indicators
[url] => http://nda.ie/Policy-and-research/Policy-Advice/National-Disability-Strategy/
[title] => QNHS Equality Quarter 3 2014
[url] => http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/q-eq/qnhsequalitymodulequarter32014/
[contents] => The Department of Social Protection provides grants to employers to conduct disability awareness trainings. NCBI, DeafHear and the IWA all provide disability awareness training services. In recent years there has been an increased focus on awareness of mental health in Ireland through the efforts of organizations like Jigsaw, Mental Health Ireland, and See Change. The Training and Employment Agency offers disability awareness training for employers in order to assist with the employment and retention of people with disabilities in the workplace. A grant is available to employers of up to 90% of the cost in the first year and 80% in subsequent years up to a maximum of €20,000 per year.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 14:55:22
[title] => Disability Awareness Support Scheme
[title] => National Mental Health Stigma Reduction Partnership Campaign
[url] => http://www.seechange.ie/
[title] => YourMentalHealth
[url] => http://www.yourmentalhealth.ie/
[title] => NCBI Disability Awareness
[url] => http://www.ncbi.ie/services/services-for-organisations/disability-awareness-training
[title] => DeafHear Disability Awareness Training
[url] => https://www.deafhear.ie/DeafHear/servicesDisabilityAwarenessTraining.html
[title] => IWA Disability Awareness Training
[contents] => All teacher education programmes in Ireland must have professional accreditation if graduates are to be eligible for registration with the Teaching Council. The Teaching Council published the new criteria which must be met by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) providing programmes of teacher education in Ireland in 2011. Significantly, the criteria include the prescription of inclusive education amongst those areas of study and programmes which will be mandatory. The Strategy Statement of the Department of Education and Science (DES) 2011-2016 includes the long-term objective of enhancing the provision of special education. The Teacher Education Section (TES) of the DES established the Special Education Support Service (SESS) in September .The SESS works to provide professional development opportunities and supports to teachers in mainstream schools who have children with special education needs.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 14:30:06
[title] => Initial Teacher Education: Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers  (2011)
[url] => http://www.teachingcouncil.ie/_fileupload/Teacher%20Education/ITE%20Criteria%20and%20Guidelines%20Final%20July%202011.pdf
[title] => Department of Education and Skills Statement of Strategy 2011-2014
[url] => https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Corporate-Reports/Strategy-Statement/des_strategy_statement_2011_2014.pdf
[title] => The Teaching Council
[url] => http://www.teachingcouncil.ie
[title] => Policy Paper on the Continuum of Teacher Education
[url] => http://www.teachingcouncil.ie/_fileupload/Teacher%20Education/FINAL%20TC_Policy_Paper_SP.pdf
[title] => SESS
[url] => http://www.sess.ie/about-sess/about-sess
[contents] => There is no formal requirement for disability awareness or equality issues to form part of initial training programmes for lawyers in Ireland. The Law Society of Ireland provides Professional Training courses and Continuous Professional Development modules (of which a certain number are mandatory). The Diploma programme has in the past included the option for a Certificate in Capacity, Mental Health and the law.  However, attendance at disability or equality-based modules is not a mandatory requirement for the CPD Programme.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 14:30:59
[title] => Law Society Module Information
[url] => http://www.lawsociety.ie/Pages/Public-Diplomas-CMS/
[title] => Certificate in Capacity, Mental Health and the Law:
[url] => http://www.pila.ie/bulletin/2010/september/30-september-2010/law-society-of-ireland-human-rights-certificate-commencing-3-november-2010-and-capacity-mental-health-amp-the-law-certif/
[contents] => In their submission to the Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training Disability, the NDA advised the provision of disability awareness training for; Medical students throughout their undergraduate training and education; Academic staff; and practitioners supervising medical students on placement. The NDA also advised the development of a system of disability / equality proofing in undergraduate medical education and training, including recruitment and retention of people with disabilities and people covered by the other grounds under equality legislation.  In 2007 the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies developed the evidence-based National Best Practice Guidelines for Informing Families of their Child’s Disability. In 2013 the Minister for Health provided funding that would allow for the national roll-out of the guidelines.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 14:32:07
[title] => NDA submission to the Working Group on Undergraduate Medical Education and Training Disability.
[url] => http://www.nda.ie/cntmgmtnew.nsf/0/3820B863621D059680256E45005766FF?OpenDocument
[title] => National Federation of Voluntary Bodies - Guidelines for Informing Families of their Child’s Disability:
[url] => http://www.fedvol.ie/Informing_Families_Project/Default.1642.html
[contents] => There is no mandatory disability awareness/equality issues component as part of initial engineer training in Ireland. Continuous Professional Development courses are offered by Engineers Ireland, but at time of publication none addressed disability or equality awareness training. Legislative reform in this area comes in the form of the Disability Act 2005. Part 6 of the Act establishes the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design. Part of the mandate of this facility is to ensure that, as far as is practicable, courses of education and training in the principles of universal design are provided for persons engaged in such work, including architects, engineers, town planners, systems analysts, software designers, transport providers and designers of passenger transport vehicles and passenger vessels, and to ensure the development of appropriate curricula so that the concept of universal design forms an integral part of the relevant courses.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 14:33:08
[title] => Engineers Ireland training courses
[url] => http://www.engineersireland.ie/cpd-training/cpd-training/training-calendar.aspx
[title] => Part 6 of the Disability Act 2005. (19 C)
[url] => http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2005/en/act/pub/0014/ Centre for Excellence in Universal Design
[title] => Centre for Excellence in Universal Design
[url] => http://www.universaldesign.ie/
[contents] => Irish Aid is Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs international development agency. The primary focus of the Irish Aid programme is poverty reduction and sustainable development amongst the world’s poorest populations. In 2013 Irish Aid launched One World, One Future which outlines Ireland’s international development policy. The new policy states that they will devote more resources to disability and better integrate disability into their development interventions. In 2014 CBM Ireland sent a submission to the Review of Ireland’s Foreign Policy and External Relations which called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to become a member of the National Disability Stakeholders’ Group and to ensure that commitments made to promoting human rights for people with disabilities are carried out.
[update_date] => 2015-03-25 14:35:04
[title] => Irish Aid One World One Future
[url] => https://www.irishaid.ie/media/irishaid/allwebsitemedia/20newsandpublications/publicationpdfsenglish/one-world-one-future-irelands-new-policy.pdf
[title] => CBM’s Submission to the Review of Ireland’s Foreign Policy and External Relations
[url] => http://www.cbm.ie/article/downloads/113203/CBM_s_submission_on_Foreign_Policy.pdf
[title] => Dochas Submission to the Review of Ireland’s Foreign Policy and External Relations
[url] => http://www.dochas.ie/Shared/Files/4/Dochas_submission_-_foreign_policy_review_-_final.pdf