Transfer of the specialist Disability services function to Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

March 3 2023, 03:52pm

Disability Dictionary Definition

On Wednesday 1 March, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, confirmed that responsibility for specialist disability services has transferred from the Department of Health to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

This transfer brings together for the first time responsibility for coordinating and steering all-of-Government policy promoting the equal participation in society of people with disabilities, policy responsibility for specialist disability services alongside cross-Government coordination provides an opportunity to drive strategic policy development, investment and reform.

The HSE will retain responsibility for the delivery of specialist disability services. The transfer of functions will require the HSE to report to two different Ministers for different elements of its functions. As part of the transfer of functions process, a proportion of the budget of the Department of Health, circa €2.6bn, will transfer to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

There has been in-depth engagement between the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Department of Health, the HSE and other relevant stakeholders to deliver this transfer and this close cooperation will continue post transfer to ensure specialist disability services are further strengthened.

DFI welcomes the news that the transfer of functions has taken place as it offers an opportunity for more integration and is in line with Ireland’s commitments under the UN CRPD to a more rights-based approach to disability services.

ENDS