Regulation and Keeping the Focus on Best Outcomes for People with Disabilities

28 May 2014, 10:30am - 5:30pm

DFI Seminar

The recently-appointed Chief Executive of the Charities Regulatory Authority, Úna Ní Dhubhghaill, and the Deputy Director of Regulation at the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), Niall Byrne, both addressed a seminar held by the Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) on 28th May 2014.

The event, ‘Regulation and Keeping the Focus on Best Outcomes for People with Disabilities’, explored the delivery and governance of person-centred supports and services for people with disabilities, examining the challenges that can arise and what this could mean for organisations.

In the presentations posted below, Ms Ní Dhubhghaill provides an update on the implementation of the Charities Act, as well as the role and objectives of the new Charities Regulatory Authority, while Mr Byrne discusses the inspection process and learnings of the HIQA National Quality Standards: Residential Services for People with Disabilities.

Followed by a Questions and Answers session, the event reflected on how an increased focus on regulation, coupled with an emphasis on health and safety, for example, could hinder the rights of people with disabilities to live independently and to exercise choice and control in their own lives, as established in Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

Opening Remarks

In his opening remarks below, Chief Executive of DFI, John Dolan, discusses some of the concerns around regulations and standards for disability services and supports, and explains that the seminar marks the beginning of a conversation on how these will unfold into the future.