Participation Matters

In 2022 the National Disability Authority (NDA) updated its 2002 ‘Ask Me’ guidelines for Effective Consultation with People with Disabilities.’ Our new guidelines 'Participation Matters: Guidelines on implementing the obligation to meaningfully engage with disabled people in public decision making' were informed by a detailed consultation process with Disabled Persons Organisations, individuals with disabilities and other stakeholders.

These guidelines are a practical resource to support public officials at national and local level to meaningfully consult with and actively involve disabled people and their representative organisations in policy development and other decision making processes to meet obligations set out under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

These guidelines support officials to take a universal design approach to all public consultation and participation processes so that disabled people can participate on an equal basis with others. They may also be useful to other organisations who wish to consult with disabled people.

The Guidelines are also available at the link below in Irish Sign Language, Easy-to-Read formats and the report on the consultations that informed the guidelines is also available.

Customer Communications Toolkit for the Public Service: A Universal Design Approach

This toolkit has guidelines that will inform the design and procurement of customer communications across the public service sector. The toolkit is based on a Universal Design approach promoted by our Centre for Excellence in Universal Design.

The toolkit will be used in the public service sector for planning, training and informing staff and contractors. It contains information that will be useful to many organisations, both public and private.

In the toolkit, you’ll find sections on the design of written, spoken, signed and digital communication. The toolkit sections contain selected statements, examples, tips, checklists and links to learn more.

An addition was made to the toolkit in 2020 regarding making online meetings accessible, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the related move to remote meetings.

The entire toolkit is available to read online or you can download it for free on our Centre for Excellence in Universal Design website.