DFI Submission on Disability Action Plan 2022-25
Issued on October 8 2021
DFI Summary of Requirements 2022-25
DFI Submission on Disability Action Plan 2022-25
The Department of Health will publish an Action Plan by December determining disability sector funding up to 2025. DFI were invited to make a submission on behalf of our members to inform the plan.
In preparation for the plan, the Disability Action Plan Framework has been published, which lays out priority areas of the Disability Capacity Review to 2032 that will be the government’s focus over the next three years.
DFI held a consultation with members last Tuesday, 28th September. Many thanks to those who attended for your valuable feedback and insights, which is informing our submission. Thanks also to those who provided us with verbal or written feedback. If you missed the consultation, you can read our presentation.
Our submission highlights a number of priority areas that should be addressed in the Disability Action Plan, including:
- Representation of voluntary organisations and people with disabilities on the Working Group writing the Action Plan.
- Implementation of the funding recommendations in the Disability Capacity Review.
- Funding issues effecting voluntary disability organisations.
- The difficulty recruiting and retraining staff, and the need for workforce planning and to address pay parity issues to resolve this.
- The need for better data on unmet need, particularly in relation to need for personal assistance, home support and community services.
- The need for better data on the needs of disabled people not currently linked to any disability services, and a transparent way for them to access services they need.
- The need to ensure strong links between specialist disability services and mainstream health services that support people with disabilities, such as primary care, mental health, neurological services etc.
- The requirement for a mechanism to ensure cross-Departmental working, and funding commitments from a range of Departments including Public Expenditure and Reform, Housing, Education, Social Protection, Employment etc.
- The need to ensure that any regulation of disability services is based on the principles of the UN CRPD and that providers can access funding to implement regulatory requirements.