March 02 2010

Parliamentary Questions

• UN Washington City Group on Disability Statistics
• Refusal of applications for Disability Allowance
• Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS)

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

• UN Washington City Group on Disability Statistics

Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF): asked the Taoiseach further to Parliamentary Question No. 139 of 23 February 2010, the reason the Central Statistics Office has not been represented by any other State body at EU or UN meetings in relation to the collection of statistics in view of the fact that in the National Disability Authority’s Operational Research Plan 2007 to 2009 it is stated on page 11 that it has participated on behalf of the CSO in the meetings of the UN Washington City Group on Disability Statistics.

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Deputy Pat Carey):  The Washington Group on Disability Statistics was formed as a result of the United Nations International Seminar on Measurement of Disability that took place in New York in June 2001. An outcome of that meeting was the recognition that statistical and methodological work was needed at an international level in order to facilitate the comparison of data on disability crossnationally. The City Group is an informal, temporary organisational format, reporting to the United Nations Statistical Commission, that allows representatives from national statistical agencies from a number of countries to come together along with subject matter and other experts to address selected problems in statistical methods. The composition of the Washington Group is representatives of National Statistics Institutes, International Organisations with an interest in disability statistics and national organisations with a research, policy or representational role. The Washington Group first met in 2002 and has held nine meetings in total. Representatives from Ireland have attended the last seven meetings of the Group. The Irish delegation has included officials/experts from the Central Statistics Office, the National Disability Authority and Trinity College Dublin as appropriate. Ireland’s participation in the Group has reflected considerable national developments in recent years, notably: the disability questions in the Census of Population and the 2006 National Disability Survey. The Central Statistics Office was a member of the Washington Group Steering Committee in 2008 and 2009. The 2007 meeting in Dublin was organised and hosted by the CSO in conjunction with the NDA. Some officials from the Health Research Board and other Irish organisations with an interest in disability attended this meeting as observers. As I stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 139 of 23 February 2010, the CSO has not been represented by any other State body in relation to the work of the Group. Instead the composition of the Irish representation reflects the need for both producers and expert users of disability statistics to be engaged in methodological work of this nature. By way of analogy at national level, the CSO has worked closely with the NDA in the development and conduct of the National Disability Survey, in the formulation and review of the Census disability questions, in discussions of issues arising from the work of the Washington Group, on ethical issues concerning the conduct of the National Disability Survey, and more generally in relation to issues of relevance to disability statistics. 

• Refusal of applications for Disability Allowance

Deputy Ulick Burke (FG): asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason so many applicants for disability allowance which is means tested are being refused this allowance without medical officers having first assessed these applicants in person and the reason for the delay encountered by these applicants when they appeal these distant assessments;

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Deputy Mary Hanafin): Due to staff action currently being taken, I regret that I am unable to provide the information sought by the Deputy. 

• Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS)

Deputy Bernard Allen (FG): asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when a decision will be made on the application made by an organisation (details supplied) in respect of a sheltered housing scheme in Cork.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Deputy Michael Finneran): My Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) provides fundingto approved housing bodies of up to 100% of the approved costs of accommodation for olderpeople, the homeless, persons with special needs, returning emigrants and victims of domesticviolence. To date, my Department has not received any application for a project under CAS atthis location. I understand, however, that Cork City Council received an initial proposal for sucha project on 1 October 2009. My Department’s involvement with the CAS relates primarily tothe provision of funds for individual projects. The detailed administration of the scheme, includingthe certification that projects comply with its terms and conditions, the processing of applicationsand the payment of capital grants in respect of approved housing projects, are the responsibilityof the local authority. It is therefore a matter for Cork City Council to progress this project inaccordance with the terms and conditions of the CAS.

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