About the Conference
The 2022 NDA conference examined Article 9 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) on Accessibility. Key points shared through this Conference included understanding Article 9 of the UNCRPD; exploring a holistic understanding of accessibility, equal access and employment; exchanging learning across the public and private sectors; moving beyond the minimum standards; using universal design principles to build inclusive environments including information and services. This is the first NDA conference run as a hybrid event.
Conference Proceedings
Plenary Session
- Welcome Address: Kathryn O’Donoghue, Chairperson, National Disability Authority
- Opening Address: Anne Rabbitte T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Department of Health and Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
- The Valuable 500: developing universally designed employment
A conversation with Caroline Casey, Founder of The Valuable 500 and Marion Wilkinson, Senior Policy Advisor, NDA
- Monitoring Accessibility; setting the scene, the impacts of monitoring and moving beyond compliance
Dr. Ger Craddock, Chief Officer CEUD NDA
Discussion and Q&A
Dr. Ger Craddock with CEUD Senior Standards and Monitoring Officers Dónal Rice, Niamh Fawl, and Naomi Oldenburg
Accessibility of Employment
Chair: Siobhán McKenna Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at the Public Appointments Service
- Kim Hoque, Professor of HR Management King’s Business School, London ‘Addressing disability employment disadvantage: the Disability Employment Charter’
- Pamela Uwakwe, Organization Design and Development, Department of Justice ‘Using an Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Maturity model to increase awareness and develop an EDI strategy for the Department of Justice’
- Caroline McGrotty, Programme Manager, AHEAD ‘The Business Case for Hiring People with Disabilities’
- Emma Bennett Wren, WAM Graduate, ‘from intern to employee’
Accessibility of the Built Environment
Chair: Terri Maloney, Chair, Dublin Regional Skills Forum
- Claire Henderson, HM Revenue and Customs and Katherine Usher, Ward Robinson Design on creating an inclusive design culture: HM Revenue and Customs relocation programme
- Selina Bonnie, Disability Liaison, Access and Equality Officer, South Dublin County Council on accessibility of public buildings
- Tony Murray, Information Management and Technology Directorate of the Central Bank of Ireland on impacts of accessibility and Universal Design on barriers in the workplace
Accessibility of Information and Services
Chair: Charlotte Barker, CEO Institute of Designers in Ireland
- David Capozzi, Director of the United Spinal Association Inc on the Americans with Disabilities Act and accessibility of transport: taking stock 32 years on
- Elaine Howley, Regional Coordinator with Sage Advocacy on barriers to accessibility of public transport in Ireland
- Amy Collins and Eleanor Liston, Bus Éireann on the passenger assistance scheme roll out in Cork
- Susanna Laurin, Chief Research and Innovation Officer at Funka on users powering the Web Accessibility Directive
The following are the presentations from the 2022 Annual Conference: