Annual Report 2005 - The National Disability Authority

National Disability Authority
bodies by the Disability Act. In response, the NDA organised a series of seminars based
on sections 26 and 28 of the Act, which concern accessibility in relation to customer
services, information and ICT. The events were held in Cork, Dublin and Galway and
attracted over 140 delegates from the public sector.
Equality/Disability Proofing Guidelines
Equality proofing involves examining policies and programmes to determine if they are
effective in promoting equality, accommodating diversity and preventing discrimination.
Under the Partnership Agreements (PPF and Sustaining Progress) there is a
commitment to ‘strengthening the administrative procedures for equality proofing’. To
address this, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform established, and chairs,
a working group with members from the Department itself, the Department of Social
and Family Affairs (Social Inclusion Unit), the social partners, the Equality Authority, the
Combat Poverty Agency, the Equality Commission of Northern Ireland and the NDA.
The following areas were addressed during 2005:
• Pilot actions
• Research on inequalities leading to poverty
• The Civil Service Strategic Management Initiative
• North/South Co-operation
• Data
• Equality Reviews and Action Plans
National Children’s Advisory Council
The NDA was represented on the National Children’s Advisory Council (NCAC),
which is established under the National Children’s Office for the purpose of providing
advice to the Minister for Children. A mid-term review of the implementation of the
National Children’s Strategy 2000-2010 was undertaken by the Council during 2005
and would be completed in 2006. The NDA participated in the NCAC sub-group
which prepared in the response to the recreation policy in preparation by the National
Children’s Office. This is to address recreation programmes and facilities funded by the
Government for children in the 12 to 18 year age group.
Objective 1.4
To effect change in the key policy areas of
health, education, transport, poverty and
employment and training.
Sub-objectives under this theme include developing and informing policy positions and
gathering essential information. Employment was a particular focus of work during
2005. The research programme included a number of measures to strengthen Irish
research capacity in relation to disability, as well as a number of specific research
studies.
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