Joint Committee on Disability Matters publishes pre-Budget submission

The Joint Committee on Disability Matters has today, Wednesday June 26th, published its fourth pre-budget submission with the aim of informing the Budget process 2025 in a way that is beneficial for the State.

The Committee has published this report based on its own knowledge, information received and its engagement with stakeholders.

A copy of this report will issue to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Department of Education, Department of Finance, Department of Health, Department of Higher and Further Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

The Committee believe that the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth have a significant opportunity to transition disability services to a social approach where equity/equality, person centred/individualised approach and the UNCRPD can form the basis of delivery.

The Committee look forward to the publication of the successor whole of government strategy to the National Disability Inclusion Strategy.

Speaking on the launch of the report, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Deputy Michael Moynihan said: "The Committee continue to focus on key funding initiatives for delivery under Budget 2025 that will drive strategic change and reform and enable meaningful implementation of the UNCRPD for people with disabilities. The lack of coordination of inclusion across sectors, the dependence on long term residential care, an absence of community, mental health, and rehabilitative supports along with segregation from employment, ensures that adults with disabilities right to live independently in the community is not realised."

"For urgent attention under Budget 2025 is Children's Disability Services, the development, funding, and resourcing of a model of early intervention in a child's life (0-5yrs) which is mainstreamed across health and education services to reduce regression and deliver improved quality of life outcomes."

"The development of funding distribution in line with the UNCRPD is critical, funding redistribution must be undertaken in tandem with strengthening the link between expenditure and activity across services and service providers, to help improve monitoring and in turn value for money in disability services. The first steps towards this can be taken by developing UNCRPD compliant Equality Budgeting. An urgent All of Government approach is critical to enable individuals with disabilities live the life they want."

"Budget 2025 should consider ring fenced funding to ensure efficient operation of access to the complaints process and scrutiny of the UN Committee in expectation of ratification of the Optional Protocol to the UNCRPD. The Committee believe that there is an urgent need to create equity in the system and recommend urgent redistribution of funding in Budget 2025 in line with the UNCRPD to deliver better outcomes for people with disabilities, and maximise people's capacity, independence, and quality of life."

The Committee recommend that the Department of Health, the HSE and Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth work together to develop a model of funding distribution in line with the UNCRPD and strengthen the link between expenditure and activity across services and service providers, to help improve monitoring and in turn value for money and accountability of person centered services.

The Committee believe that transitioning to a needs-led and rights-based disability services as required by the UNCRPD must include an All of Government response with a key focus on mainstreaming early intervention and responding to unmet need to develop care pathways across health, education, employment, and community that work for people with disabilities.

The Committee makes 54 recommendations under the following headings: Optional Protocol and general provisions, equality and non-discrimination, transport, independent and adequate standard of living and social protection, education and employment, health and life, children's disability services, freedom from exploitation, violence, and abuse and autonomy and integrity, participation in public and political life, statistics, national implementation, and international cooperation.

Read the report and its recommendations in full here.