Implementation Plan to deliver improved housing for disabled people in Kildare

The Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, Kieran O’Donnell, T.D., and the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Anne Rabbitte, T.D., today launched the Implementation Plan to deliver improved housing and related supports for disabled people at an event in the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel in Dublin.

The Implementation Plan consists of 107 actions and will deliver on the primary objective of  the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022 – 2027, which is ‘to facilitate disabled people to live independently with the appropriate choices and control over where, how and with whom they live, promoting their inclusion in the community’.

The National Housing Strategy for Disabled People was developed by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The Strategy is part of the Government’s Housing for All plan, which sets out specific measures to achieve a steady supply of housing in the right locations with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The 107 actions in the Implementation Plan will be delivered by the three Departments and their agencies. 

Minister O’Donnell and Minister Rabbitte also launched a new awareness campaign to raise visibility of the Implementation Plan and Strategy, both locally and nationally, with the disability sector and the general public. The awareness campaign was informed by consultation with disabled people, will be managed by the Housing Agency, and will ensure that the Strategy and Implementation Plan are afforded a high level of visibility at local and national level in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities UNCRPD principles. 

Speaking following the launch, Minister O’Donnell stated, "The influence of the lived experience of disabled people, which is reflected in the 107 actions, will be key to the success of this Implementation Plan as it progresses to 2027. I will be working collaboratively with my Government colleagues and delivery partners across the sector in delivering on the actions in this Implementation Plan to ensure we achieve the reality of the vision in the Strategy."

Welcoming the Implementation Plan and Awareness Campaign, Minister Rabbitte said, "This Implementation Plan represents a clear whole of Government approach to ensuring that disabled people are communicated with and supported in their choice of housing options in line with the UNCRPD. I look forward to working together with my colleagues across Government to collectively ensure that the plan is a success."

Supporting the Implementation Plan, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD said, "Housing for All is a multi-annual, multi-billion euro plan which is improving Ireland’s housing system and delivering more homes of all types for people with different housing needs. This plan is key to ensuring that disabled people also benefit from this large scale delivery of new homes and in conjunction with the implementation of the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People demonstrates the government’s commitment to providing equal access to housing for all."

The National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022 – 2027 Implementation Plan is available at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/60d76-national-housing-strategy-for-disabled-people-2022-2027/.