Bridging the Gap Between National Policy and Local Action for Disability Inclusion

While Ireland has made moves on a national level in implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) —not least with the recent ratification of the Optional Protocol—the reality on the ground tells a different story. For many disabled people, it is their local authorities that serve as the first point of contact for services and supports.  And yet, glaring gaps remain in understanding and applying the UN CRPD at this crucial local level.

Ireland is one of the most centralised nations in Europe and ranks among the lowest in the OECD for funding local authorities. This centralisation skews priorities towards national responsibilities, often leaving disability rights and equality sidelined at the local level. While some local authorities have made progress, these efforts are inconsistent across the 31 local authority areas.

For disabled people, whose lives are deeply affected by local decisions on housing, transport, public spaces, and community amenities, this patchy progress translates into daily exclusions and barriers.

Since 2004, the Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) has worked closely with local authorities, the community and voluntary sector, and others to promote disability inclusion. We recognise firsthand the importance of local government reform to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

Wicklow County Council’s longstanding collaboration with DFI led to the Disability and Inclusion Steering Committee (DISC), a unique body with Strategic Policy Committee status. This status gives the group an official role in advising the local authority on policies affecting their area of focus, in this case, disability issues. This way DISC oversees disability at a local level under the UNCRPD and the Wicklow County Disability Strategy at a local level under the UNCRPD and the Wicklow County Disability Strategy.

So there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Successful models already exist. The roles of Age Friendly Coordinators, Healthy Ireland, Sports Partnership Development Officers and Climate Action Coordinators each demonstrate, how targeted approaches can be effectively implemented at a local level.

Access Officers in local councils can play a key role in making sure that local services, facilities, and information are accessible to disabled people, helping local authorities meet their legal obligations. But many Access Officers work part-time and don’t have clear job descriptions, meaning their work on disability inclusion is often treated as an “add-on" rather than a main focus.

A lack of formal training, dedicated budgets, and performance metrics is a barrier to their effectiveness. To address this, the Access Officer role must be redefined and expanded, with full-time positions. Providing sufficient resources and decision-making authority to their programme of work will drive meaningful change and remove barriers that prevent disabled people from fully participating in their communities. This means local authorities can effectively meet their UN CRPD commitments.

Right now, there is no single coordinator or dedicated funding to support UN CRPD implementation at the local level. As a result, disability inclusion is not a priority and an add on to different programmes of work.

Having coordination for UN CRPD implementation would centre disability inclusion as part of all local strategies and development plans. This approach would help ensure that all stakeholders, along with local government, take shared responsibility for disability inclusion.

But while the role of the Access Officer is crucial, it’s important to make sure that disability inclusion and equality isn’t treated as a separate issue or confined to one area of work. Instead, it should be a key focus across all parts of local and national government.

The goal isn’t to create more silos but to have consistency within and across local authorities so teams can coordinate efforts and ensure that disability is considered in everything—from housing and transport to public spaces and employment. It’s essential that this work is co-designed in collaboration with Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) and disabled people themselves.

This approach makes sure that disability inclusion is a shared responsibility and becomes a natural part of how local authorities plan and deliver services, ultimately creating more equitable communities that work for everyone.

Local authorities are already required by law to protect the rights of disabled people by ensuring equality, accessibility, and non-discrimination. These responsibilities affect important areas like budgets, policies, and local laws. However, there remains a troubling gap between these legislative commitments and meaningful action. This disconnect leaves critical needs unmet and perpetuates barriers that deny disabled people the full participation and inclusion they have a right to expect

National government has a pivotal role to provide local authorities with adequate resources to fulfil their obligations under the UN CRPD. This requires a significant increase in funding for local government, tied to measurable outcomes in disability inclusion. If the government provide clear guidelines and frameworks to standardise implementation across all local authorities, it creates a more equal system where no region lags behind.

To close the gap, local authorities require clear rules that are enforced with metrics, regular checks, and proper funding for disability inclusion. Disability needs to be a central focus in the strategic plans of all local authorities, making it a core pillar of their future vision.

Embedding disability inclusion in long-term strategies will create consistency across local areas, remove barriers to progress, and help build a fairer society.

Tailored awareness training is key to helping local authorities understand how to apply the UN CRPD in practical ways. 

Training should focus on clear, actionable steps to make inclusion a real and measurable outcome, not just an abstract goal. That means reviewing current practices. Decision makers will need to be resourced and committed to making the necessary changes to turn UN CRPD principles into real improvements.  

Ultimately, national implementation of the UN CRPD is not enough if it’s not felt on the ground by disabled people themselves. That means empowering and resourcing local authorities and others to embed the principles of the UN CRPD so it translates into tangible improvements in the lives of disabled people. Only then can Ireland truly fulfil its commitments and build communities where everyone, regardless of ability, can thrive.

Bridging the Gap Report and Launch

For more on implementing the UN CRPD at a local level DFI commissioned Dr. Charles Mahoney and Dr. Mary Keogh to undertake research on the implementation of the UN CRPD locally. The final report was launched at an event on Tuesday 28 January. The event brought together local government officers, representatives from relevant public bodies, researchers, policy experts, and community advocates to discuss the findings of recent research, share perspectives, and chart a path forward for meaningful change.

Read the summary report here.

Read the full report here.