New National Disability Strategy

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is currently coordinating work across Government to develop Ireland’s next National Disability Strategy, which will be the successor to the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2022. Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2018. The new strategy seeks to progress Irelands implementation of the UNCRPD.

As part of the development of the new strategy, a public consultation is underway. The consultation aims to get the views of Disabled Persons Organisations, people with disabilities, parents and carers and other disability stakeholders on what they would like to see in a new strategy that would improve the lives of disabled people. The Department have asked us in the NDA to run parts of the consultation.


How to have your say and get involved in the consultation

You can share your experiences and get involved in the consultation in a number of ways outlined below.

In addition targeted focus groups with people with disabilities who are seldom heard and children with disabilities are being organised through an external contractor.

Join one of the online (Zoom) focus groups on an area that interests you.

Register to attend by selecting the title (link) of the focus group.

  1. Tuesday 21 November, 10.30am to 12pm Carers of people with disabilities [completed]
  2. Wednesday 22 November, 2.30pm to 4pm Older people [completed]
  3. Tuesday 28 November, 10.30am to 12pm Transport [completed]
  4. Wednesday 29 November, 5pm-6.30pm Cost of Disability [completed]
  5. Thursday 30 November, 2pm-3.30pm Employment & Training [completed]
  6. Saturday 2 December, 11am-12.30pm Housing & Independent Living
  7. Tuesday 5 December, 7pm-8.30pm Disability Health & Social Care Services and Supports
  8. Wednesday 6 December, 2pm-3.30pm Education
  9. Monday 11 December, 10.30am to 12pm Women & Disability

Disability organisations and in particular Disabled persons Organisations are invited to make a written submission. The national questionnaire will be available for individuals but if you are not part of an organisation and would like to make a written submission you are welcome to do so.

Please answer the questions using the template below and submit to nda-events@nda.ie by Friday 12 January 2024.

Written Submission Template

Members of the Deaf community or people who have difficulty in reading or writing may prefer to make a video submission to highlight the issues they think should be included in a new strategy. We ask that you keep your submission to less than three minutes. Please introduce yourself in the video and say if you are submitting as an individual or representing an organisation.

Please send your video by WhatsApp to 085 879 7518 by Monday 8 January 2024.

This is a government issued mobile phone that is encrypted. For videos in Irish Sign Language we will have to share your video with an interpreter outside the NDA to translate your video. By submitting a video, you are consenting to this. As soon as your video is transcribed to English your video will be deleted. The interpreter will also delete the video. Transcription will be done as soon as possible but no longer than four weeks after receipt of the video.

Check back here to access the link to the survey which will be ready in December.

These meetings will be organised for January. Check back here for more details.