Live Consultations
From time to time there will be opportunities offered by various Government Departments and other organisations to make a submission or offer feedback to ongoing consultations, which are specifically relevant to disabled people and the disability sector. We aim to include these here with the relevant closing dates.
Please email us if you are aware of others that you think disabled people and organisations should be aware of.
The following are the current live consultations that we are aware of:
Development of a revised Energy Poverty Action Plan - closing date to have your say Wednesday 8 May 2024
The Energy Poverty Action Plan, approved by Government in December 2022, set out the range of measures implemented, as well as key longer-term measures, to ensure that those least able to afford increased energy costs were supported and protected to adequately heat and power their homes over winter 2022/23. While significant progress has been made against these actions, the continued high cost of energy resulted in additional cost-of-living measures introduced in February 2023 and in Budget 2024. As a result, it is timely that the existing Action Plan is reviewed and revised.
A revised Energy Poverty Action Plan would have the purpose of once again setting out a range of clear, timebound actions aimed at tackling energy poverty with appropriate governance and evaluation. It is intended that the Plan will build on and continue the policies and actions that have been driven to date by the existing Plan, informed by stakeholder input, where appropriate.
As committed in the Energy Poverty Action Plan, a key aspect is to provide structured, whole of Government engagement with stakeholders.
The Energy Poverty Steering Group have developed a set of questions at the following link which aim to capture information from stakeholders to assist with the development of a revised Action Plan.
The closing date for submissions is 5.30pm on Wednesday, 8 May 2024. If you would like to complete the consultation in hard copy format, please email repr@decc.gov.ie.
HSE National Sharing Day call for submissions - deadline Friday 17 May 2024
The HSE National Sharing Day will resume this year at Dublin Castle on Thursday, 26 September 2024.
The theme will be on the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act and the impact of the act on Disabled people.
Click here to access submission forms with information in various formats.
The closing date for submissions is Friday, 17 May 2024 and the email address for submission is disabilitiesqi@hse.ie
The HSE Team behind this day now have their own webpage. You can check it out for updates at Disability Quality Improvement - HSE.ie.
Green Paper on Disability Reform - update
On Friday 12 April 2024, Minister Heather Hunphreys announced the following:
“I launched the consultation process on the Green Paper last September. Based on the feedback I have received to date, it is clear that there are significant concerns about the proposals.
“I have listened to these concerns and I am confirming today that the Green Paper proposals will not be implemented.”
The Government needs to have a “fresh look” at how people with disabilities can be “best” supported, said the Fine Gael minister.
She said this can be done through a new Cabinet sub committee on disability, which was set up shortly after Simon Harris became Taoiseach.
ENDS