Oral Ministerial Statement by Gordon Lyons MLA - Launch of Public Consultation on the Executive Disability Strategy

"Mr. Speaker, I wish to make a statement to the Assembly regarding my plans to bring forward a new Executive Disability Strategy for Northern Ireland.

Around one in four people in Northern Ireland experience some form of a disability, and it's fair to say that we are all impacted to some extent.

Everyone's experience of living with disability is unique and so any new Strategy developed needs to be able to flex to accommodate the often complex and unique interventions that are to be managed.

Through the sharing of lived experience by Deaf and disabled people, and by our commissioning of bespoke research, this Disability Strategy demonstrates that we have taken account of the issues raised by Deaf and disabled people, the Expert Advisory Panel, the Co-design Group, the Cross-departmental Working Group, and many other stakeholders during the significant engagement process.

The Disability Strategy vision, outcomes, principles, and terminology/language used are all a product of that extensive engagement process and the Strategy commitments are broadly reflective of the wishes of the sector.

This strategy represents further delivery against our Programme for Government commitments.

It also intersects with a range of strategic agendas such as our Executive Anti-poverty Strategy; the Autism and Mental Health Strategies; my Department's Disability and Work Strategy, and the Review of Special Educational Needs provision.

In co-producing the Disability Strategy, we have placed people with lived experience of disability at the centre - involving them at every stage to ensure that we have identified and shaped the change needed to achieve better outcomes.

We have a wealth of experience within our voluntary and community sector, and we know that their insight and value cannot be overstated.

In developing the Disability Strategy, we have carried out many engagement events with both individuals and the organisations that represent the Deaf and disabled community.

These events were delivered both online and in person and special efforts were made to engage with those who can often be the hardest to reach in Northern Ireland including minority ethnic communities and our travelling community.

These marginalised yet often inspirational people freely contributed their lived experience and their ideas to my officials and, Mr Speaker, I want to tell them today - your views were valued greatly. You were not only heard, but more importantly you were listened to.

It was apparent from an early stage of this engagement that a number of key asks were coming from across the sector in relation to what they wished to see in a new Disability Strategy.

I wish to briefly cover some of those asks, and how we intend to deal with them through this new Strategy.

There was a universal desire to establish a Northern Ireland Disability Forum, wholly comprised of Deaf and disabled people and having a role in supporting the monitoring and reporting processes involved with any new Disability Strategy.

I can announce today, Mr Speaker, that the Strategy commits my Department to establish a Northern Ireland Disability Forum to monitor the actions included in the Strategy.

This Forum's membership will be made up entirely of Deaf and disabled people, with my officials providing secretarial support.

The Forum will also link in with the Department of Health's existing Regional Disabled People's Health and Social Care Forum as appropriate and will be able to engage with all Executive departments in relation to their responsibilities within the Strategy.

I have also taken steps to ensure that Forum membership will be fully representative of our community. Places will be reserved, for example, for young disabled people who haven't had the life opportunities or lived experience to yet be able to demonstrate the academic credentials or experience that normally indicates suitability for a place on such a body.

We were also told of the desire to see a reform of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which stakeholders believe is no longer fit for purpose.

I too believe there is a clear case for the review and potential reform of disability law here. The Disability Discrimination Act is 30 years old and there is a clear gap between the legislative protections available to disabled people here to those in, for example, Great Britain where the Equality Act 2010 is in force.

I can announce today, that scoping work is now underway in my Department , with a view to the full incorporation of the UNCRPD into domestic law. This of course will require additional funding across many Executive departments but I am sure we can agree it is the right thing to do.

The Strategy itself is constructed around eight Outcomes and during the lifetime of the Strategy there will be continuous monitoring of its delivery.

These outcomes ensure Deaf and Disabled people can:

• Effectively exercise their rights and fundamental freedoms and participate in society on an equal basis, free from discrimination.
• Access our built environment, facilities and transport on an equal basis.
• Access our public services, government information and communications on an equal basis.
• Access and participate in culture, leisure activities and sport on an equal basis.
• Live independently in the community with choice and control, with a sufficient and sustainable standard of living.
• Have access to quality health and social care on an equal basis and without discrimination.
• Access, sustain and progress within quality employment in an inclusive labour market.
• Deaf and disabled children and young people can exercise their rights and reach their full educational, social and developmental potential.

The Disability Strategy, once approved in final form by the Executive, will run for a ten-year period from 2025 to 2035 and will be underpinned by an action plan that will contain a range of time-bound, measurable actions targeted at progressing those Strategy Outcomes and commitments.

The action plan will be monitored, reviewed, and updated annually with published progress reports which will be agreed by the Executive.

A formal midpoint review will allow for the Strategy itself to be assessed, taking account of the annual reports on the action plan.

This review will provide an opportunity for the Strategy's commitments to be reviewed, amended, removed or added to if necessary.

The Strategy's impact will be measured both through the delivery of actions in the action plan and through progress against agreed indicators and outcomes.

Mr Speaker, we have worked closely across Departments to commit to the actions in this Strategy, and the Executive has given its endorsement.

We must continue to work together and ensure that we collectively achieve better outcomes for Deaf and disabled people.

I can confirm today that today I will be launching a minimum 12-week public consultation on the Disability Strategy. This wide-reaching conversation with society provides an opportunity for everyone to contribute their views and to highlight any areas that can be strengthened further.

In addition to being able to engage on the consultation online, we shall also be hosting a series of ‘roadshow” events across Northern Ireland for people to attend and engage with officials.

Naturally, all documents will be available in a range of accessible formats to make it as easy as possible for everyone to contribute to the consultation.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage as many people as possible to take part in the consultation. I also want to place on record my sincere thanks to everyone who has taken the time to share their experiences and suggestions

Taken in conjunction with the recent launch of my Department's Disability and Work Strategy, today's announcement signifies my commitment to the Deaf and disabled community and a step change from the Northern Ireland Executive in terms of delivering for Deaf and disabled people, their families, and their carers.

I commend this statement to the House."