The specific plans with regards to supporting people with disabilities included in the Programme for Government are as follows:

People with Disabilities

We will ensure that the quality of life of people with disabilities is enhanced and that resources allocated reach the people who need them. To achieve this, we will reform the delivery of public services to bring about back office savings that will protect front line services.

We will also facilitate people with disabilities in achieving a greater level of participation in employment, training and education.

We will publish, following wide consultation, a realistic implementation plan for the
National Disability Strategy, including sectoral plans with achievable timescales and
targets within available resources. We will ensure whole-of-government involvement and monitoring of the Strategy, in partnership with the disability sector.

We will seek to get best value for money for investment in services and to ensure that services meet the needs of users. A Comprehensive Spending Review will examine all provision for people with disabilities with a view to determining how users can get the best services. We will also ensure that money spent on disability services under the National Disability Strategy is clearly laid out and audited.

As part of this Review we will move a proportion of public spending to a personal budget model so that people with disabilities or their families have the flexibility to make choices that suit their needs best. Personal budgets also introduce greater transparency and efficiency in funding services.

We will put the National Standards for Residential Services for People with Disabilities on a statutory footing and ensure that services are inspected by the Health Information and Quality Authority.

We will examine different mechanisms to promote the recognition of Irish Sign
Language.

We will reform the law on mental capacity to ensure the greatest degree of autonomy for people with intellectual disabilities or suffering with mental illnesses in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

In planning legislation, we will promote and support universal design whereby all
environments can be used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of age, ability or disability.