Integrating the Department’s Functions

Eleven submissions made recommendations regarding the integration of disability policy and services with the DCEDIY’s other key areas (children and youth; equality and integration) (the NDA; DFI; NFVSP; SJOG; SPMHS; CPPN; CIB; Pobal; Disability Unit, DoH; AI; and the UNESCO Chair ITT).

The CIB submission referred to the Department’s new configuration, which they suggest presents “a totally new strategic landscape”, which will “require the Department to adopt a strong and proactive integrative role across a wide range of policy domains”. The NFVSP suggested that this new configuration “offers an opportunity to review, re-think and restructure the State’s response” to the needs of children and adults with disabilities. The NDA and DFI echoed this point, with the DFI advising that the DCEDIY operate with the “consciousness” that disability “also relates” to the other Departmental functions of “children, equality and integration” and other Departments. The NDA suggested that the new SoS:

provides an opportunity to disability-proof the range of actions across this Department’s new reconfiguration, and is also an opportunity to reconfirm and embed mainstreaming of disability across the Department’s units which obliges mainstream public services to include people with disabilities.

They noted that the transfer of functions included the transfer of officials “who understand the different functions, having worked on them for several years”. They advised that the Department focus on “aligning national strategies and policies” in order to “bring coherence” and strengthen a “whole of government approach to disability”, which will help improve outcomes for service users.