December 01 2009

Parliamentary Questions

• Disabled person’s parking permits
• Capacity legislation
• Senior Officials Group on Disability
• Appropriate educational intervention and supports for children with special educational needs

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

• Disabled person’s parking permits

Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF): asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has ordered the national mobility centre to issue disabled person’s parking permits only to persons with lower leg disabilities; if so, the reason for this decision;

Minister for Transport (Deputy Noel Dempsey): I have not issued any such order. Under the Road Traffic Acts and the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations, 1997, the granting of a disabled person’s parking permit is a matter for the issuing authorities, the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers Association. For the purposes of the Disabled Parking Scheme, the Regulations define a disabled person as a “person who is suffering from a disability that prevents that person from walking or causes undue hardship to the person in walking”.

• Capacity legislation

Deputy Dan Neville (FG): asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will publish the capacity legislation; and when the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will be published; when he will ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its optional protocol in order to display its commitment to quality and human rights for all persons here.

Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Deputy John Moloney): It is the Government’s intention to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to ensure that all necessary requirements under the Convention are being met. The Government Legislation Programme, published on 16 September, indicates that the Mental Capacity Bill, that is in the course of being drafted by Parliamentary Counsel, is expected to be published in early 2010. Work on what is involved by way of implementation of the various other provisions in the Convention, which are extensive, continues in the relevant Departments.

• Senior Officials Group on Disability

Deputy David Stanton (FG): asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the membership of the senior group on disability which is chaired by his Department; the number of times the group has met; the decisions taken; the work produced by this group since it was established; the responsibilities of his Department in chairing the group;

Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Deputy John Moloney): The membership of the Senior Officials Group on Disability comprises the Departments of the Taoiseach; Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Finance; Health and Children; Transport; Justice, Equality and Law Reform; Social and Family Affairs; Environment, Heritage and Local Government; Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; and Education and Science. This group has met 14 times and the most recent meeting was held on 29 September 2009. The membership of the National Disability Strategy Stakeholder Monitoring Group comprises the Senior Officials Group on Disability, a number of stakeholder groups (Disability Federation of Ireland, People with Disabilities in Ireland, Irish Mental Health Coalition, The Not for Profit Business Association and National Federation of Voluntary Bodies Providing Services to People with Intellectual Disability), the National Disability Authority, ICTU and IBEC. This group has met 6 times and the most recent meeting was held on 5 October 2009. The Department of the Taoiseach has responsibility for chairing the meetings of the two groups and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform provides the secretariat. Both groups are responsible for monitoring the implementation of the National Disability Strategy. Reports, based on updates from the relevant Government Departments, are prepared by the Senior Officials Group twice a year and these are presented at the National Disability Strategy Stakeholder Monitoring Group meetings. Both groups adopted the Towards 2016Strategic Document outlining the vision, mission and strategic objectives of the National Disability Strategy which was published, in accordance with the commitment in Towards 2016,on 27 May 2009.

• Appropriate educational intervention and supports for children with special educational needs

Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children known to his Department identified as having autism, Asperger’s syndrome, dyslexia and ADHD or other similar educational or behavioural special needs; the degree to which his Department or the Department of Health and Children have co-operated in the provision or educational, health and relevant back up facilities to assist the children and the parents; the extent to which the full scale of special classes or special teachers are available to meet these requirements; the extent to which the current economic situation has impacted or is likely to impact on same;

Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe): I wish to assure the Deputy that the provision of appropriate educational intervention and supports for children with special educational needs continues to be a key Government priority. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) estimated in 2006 that there could be up to 184,818 children of school age with disabilities and conditions which could give rise to special educational needs as follows:

It must be emphasised that these figures were estimates. The NCSE also cautioned against any simplistic correlation between estimated prevalence and resource additionality. The key issue is that children with special educational needs are supported, as necessary, through the provision of additional teachers, special needs assistants, assistive technology, specialist equipment, special school transport arrangements and adapted buildings. The Deputy will be aware that the NCSE is responsible for the provision of a range of educational services at local and national level for students with special educational needs. In particular, its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers co-ordinate special needs education provision at local level and arrange for the delivery of special educational services. They act as single points of contact for parents of students with special educational needs and for schools. There are now significant supports for children with special educational needs in our schools. This includes about 19,000 adults working solely with pupils with special needs. There are over 10,000 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) — compared with just 300 in 1997. There are over 8,000 resource and learning support teachers in our schools compared with just 2,000 in 1998. Over 1,000 other teachers support pupils in our special schools. The Office of the Minister for Disability and Mental Health has, as a key role, responsibility for the facilitation of the delivery of integrated health and education support services for children with special needs. Officials of this Office, along with my own Department, the Health Service Executive and the NCSE comprise a cross-sectoral group which meets regularly in relation to the implementation of the EPSEN and Disability Acts. This co-ordinated approach will ensure delivery of the most effective response for children living with disability and special educational needs on a daily basis. The HSE will continue to work with funded specialist providers and in co-operation with the education sector to address the health related needs of children with special educational needs in the context of the resources available.

BACK TO MAIN DÁIL DEBATES & QUESTIONS PAGE