Annual Report 2005 - The National Disability Authority

Annual Report 2005
• How policies and actions under each Department’s brief are to be checked for
implications for people with disabilities, and compatibility with disability and
equality laws (“disability/equality proofing”).
The document also sets out specific recommendations for each department to
consider in preparing comprehensive, concrete plans, due for presentation to the
Oireachtas in July 2006.
Regional briefings on the six Outline Sectoral Plans
The NDA facilitated a series of briefings, with officials from the six Sectoral Plan
Departments, at locations throughout the country. The dates and venues were
• 9 May 2005 Burlington Hotel, Dublin;
• 16 May 2005 Silver Springs Hotel, Cork;
• 20 May 2005 Landmark Hotel, Carrick on Shannon;
• 27 May 2005 Radisson Hotel, Limerick.
All briefings were advertised in the national, regional and local media and attended by
people with disabilities, advocates, family members and relevant statutory and nonstatutory
bodies.
The purpose of the briefings was to provide information on, and have an exchange
of views on, the six Outline Sectoral Plans. Representatives from each of the six
Departments made presentations on the outline plans.
Feedback received at these seminars was incorporated into the NDA Response to the
Six Outline Sectoral Plans of Government Departments.
Engagement with Departments
Members of the policy advice team held a series of meetings during 2005 with officials
from the Sectoral Plan departments to discuss areas where the Outline Sectoral Plans
could be strengthened.
Background papers on Integration/Co-ordination and on Mainstreaming were
developed. The Integration/Co-ordination position paper put forward the case for coordination
and integration in the implementation of the National Disability Strategy,
beginning by setting out the rationale and context for this approach, stressing the
merits of co-ordination and integration and finally through examining a number
of initiatives which are models of an integrated and co-ordinated approach to
implementation.
The Mainstreaming position paper was prepared for the purpose of defining
what mainstreaming is and also to describe the key components in a successful
mainstreaming programme. Mainstreaming is now a key tenet of Government policy.
The NDA has previously pointed to the lack of understanding of mainstreaming,
and the lack of coherent policies and supports to implement mainstreaming (NDA
2002). This paper seeks to clarify and inform about the concept and practice of
mainstreaming.
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