The Disability Monitor

A weekly update on the Northern Ireland Assembly

11 July 2011 Contents Assembly in Recess Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee for Education Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee for Justice Committee for Regional Development Committee for Social Development Assembly Business Written Answers to Questions Political Party Conferences

Assembly in Recess The Assembly is in recess from Saturday 2 July 2011 until Sunday 4th September 2011. The first plenary sitting will be Monday 12 September 2011. Therefore, there will be no Disability Monitor over the summer months. The next monitor will be issued Monday 19 September 2011.

Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Wednesday 22 June 2011 Proposals to Update and Reform the Office of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman The Committee discussed a number of policy issues in relation to proposals to reform and

update the Office of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman.

Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure Thursday 16 June 2011 Chairpersons Business The Committee noted that the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson met with the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure on Monday 13 June, regarding the Ministers Written Ministerial Statement on the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Thursday 23 June 2011 The Committee agreed to commission research on participative and competitive sports in the area of disability sports. Briefing from Sport NI Agreed: Sport NI agreed to provide a written submission on the funding and governance of Special Olympics Ulster. Chairpersons Business Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a brief from Disability Sports NI onto the Forward Work Programme.

Committee for Education Wednesday 15 June 2011 Correspondence The Committee noted correspondence of 3 June 2011 from Children in Northern Ireland enclosing a copy of the Children with Disabilities Strategic Alliance's manifesto on special educational needs. Pobal - Invitation dated 9 June 2011 to seminar and research launch on children in Irish medium education with special educational needs. Departmental Briefing - Special Educational Needs Mrs Dorothy Angus, Director of Access, Inclusion and Well-Being, Mrs Irene Murphy, Head of Special Education and Inclusion Review Team, Ms Debbie Gladwell, Head of Special Education Team and Ms Gillian Boyd, Education and Training Inspectorate provided an oral briefing on Special Educational Needs and answered Members questions. Agreed: the Committee would write to the Department to remind officials that they agreed to let the Deputy Chairperson know if the funding for capacity building in relation to SEN was at risk. Wednesday 22 June 2011 Assembly Research Briefing An Assembly Researcher provided a briefing to Members on Public Procurement in

Education. Agreed: the Committee would request a supplementary paper on any additional considerations or information specific to the procurement of school transport for pupils with SEN, including health and safety considerations.

Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety Wednesday 15 June 2011 Matters Arising The Committee noted a response from the Minister in relation to Southern Cross care homes. Legislative consent motion. Protection of Freedoms Bill - 'Safeguarding of Vulnerable Groups' Provisions The Committee took evidence from: Ms Eilis McDaniel, Child Care, DHSSPS and Mr Paul McConville, Social Services Officer, DHSSPS. A question and answer session ensued. The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for attending. The Committee agreed to prepare a report outlining the key issues of the legislative consent motion. Wednesday 22 June 2011 Chairperson's business The Committee agreed to arrange an evidence session regarding the proposed Mental Health Bill. The Committee agreed to request a copy of the draft Mental Health Bill and to arrange an evidence session on the mental health budget. Matters arising The Committee noted a response from the Minister regarding funding for the NI Music Therapy Trust and agreed to write to the Department for further information. Correspondence. The Committee noted a letter from Praxis inviting it to visit one of its schemes and agreed to arrange this as part of future external meeting.

Committee for Justice Thursday 16 June 2011 Overview Briefing on Planned Justice Legislation Officials provided a briefing on the Department's planned legislative programme and answered questions from Members. Issues covered included: whether issues around 'fitness to plead' would be looked at in the Mental Capacity Bill.

Committee for Regional Development Wednesday 22 June 2011 Correspondence

Correspondence from the Inclusive Mobility and Transport Advisory Committee (IMTAC) on blue badge misuse. Departmental Briefing: New Equality Scheme - briefing on implementation for the Department The following officials joined the meeting: Brendan Devlin - Director of North/South Equality & Policy Coordination Directorate, DRD; Margaret Langhammer - Head of Equality Unit, DRD. The officials presented to Committee in respect of the above. Following the presentation, Members put questions.

Committee for Social Development Thursday 16 June 2011 NIHE Review - Departmental Briefing The Committee was briefed by senior officials from the Department for Social Development. The officials provided a briefing on the Review of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE). Proposed Subordinate Legislation The Committee considered the proposed Statutory Rule: Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 - Proposals for Interim Manager Regulations. Agreed: The Committee agreed it was content for the Department to make the Statutory Rule. Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek clarification on the timing for introduction of the Charities (Amendment) Bill to the Assembly. Thursday 23 June 2011 Matters Arising The Chairperson advised the Committee of a draft press release which had been prepared to coincide with the launch of the independent Report on the Review of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. Fuel Poverty in Northern Ireland - Briefing by National Energy Action and the NI Fuel Poverty Coalition. Agreed: The Committee agreed that it would request that the Department comes to brief the Committee on the new DSD Fuel Poverty Strategy after the summer recess. Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment to ask why the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment is not playing a more active role in helping to address fuel poverty in Northern Ireland, particularly in the context of the heavy reliance and high price of home heating oil. Correspondence The Committee noted correspondence from the Department regarding its Departmental Disability Action Plan and from Advice NI concerning a Welfare Cuts Research Survey.

Assembly Business Monday 27 June 2011 Oral Answers to Questions: Social Development Housing Associations Mr G Kelly asked the Minister for Social Development to outline why seven housing associations have been suspended from building social housing. (AQO 196/11-15) >>Read answer Welfare Reform Mr Hussey asked the Minister for Social Development to outline how he intends to put forward the case to include regional differences in relation to welfare reform, while maintaining parity with Great Britain on social security matters. (AQO 198/11-15) >>Read answer Tuesday 28 June 2011 Executive Committee Business Welfare Reform Bill

Written Answers to Questions Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure Arts: People with Disabilities Ms Ruane asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure what steps her Department is taking to make the arts more accessible for people with disabilities. (AQO 219/11-15) >>Read answer Department of Education Legislation Mr Weir asked the Minister of Education what legislation his Department intends to introduce in (i) 2011/12; and (ii) the following years of this mandate. (AQW 692/11-15) >>Read answer Aspergers Syndrome Lord Morrow asked the Minister of Education what assistance is available for children in mainstream primary education who have Aspergers Syndrome. (AQW 816/11-15) >>Read answer Children Statemented Mr Weir asked the Minister of Education how many children have been statemented in each of the last five years, broken down by Education and Library Board area. (AQW 852/11-15) >>Read answer Department of Employment and Learning

Financial Assistance for Online Courses Lord Morrow asked the Minister for Employment and Learning what financial assistance is available for a person with a disability who wishes to enrol in a (i) Further Education course; and (ii) Higher Education course on-line, in their own homes. (AQW 569/11-15) >>Read answer Department of the Environment Local Council Staff Lord Morrow asked the Minister of the Environment, pursuant to AQW 136/11-15, whether he will consider collating data in relation to the number of staff employed by local councils who have a disability, given that an employee with a disability must advise Human Resources of their disability; and can he ensure that the criteria for the appropriate inclusion of people with a disability in the work place are being met. (AQW 545/11-15) >>Read answer Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety Sensory Processing Disorder Miss M McIlveen asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what support is available to the parents of children diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder. (AQW 678/11-15) >>Read answer Services for People with Challenging Behaviour Ms Ritchie asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what discussions he has held with the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust regarding the current and future provision of services for people with challenging behaviour. (AQW 780/11-15) >>Read answer Community Psychiatric Services Ms Ritchie asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety what discussions he has had with the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust regarding the current and future provision of community psychiatric services. (AQW 781/11-15) >>Read answer Mental Health Services Mr McElduff asked the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for his assessment of whether the economic recession has added to the pressure on mental health services. (AQW 818/11-15) >>Read answer Department for Regional Development Fares on Public Transport Mr Weir asked the Minister for Regional Development what consideration he has given to reducing or removing fares for people with a disability using public transport. (AQW 616/11-15)

>>Read answer Public Transport Mr Weir asked the Minister for Regional Development what steps his Department is taking to encourage or incentivise the use of public transport by people with a disability. (AQW 689/11-15) >>Read answer Easibus Service Mr Lyttle asked the Minister for Regional Development whether he intends to review the decision to discontinue the Easibus service by 2014. (AQW 1034/11-15) >>Read answer Department for Social Development Disability Living Allowance Mr Weir asked the Minister for Social Development how many people who applied for Disability Living Allowance in the (i) North Down; and (ii) Ards areas were refused the benefit in each of the last five years. (AQW 721/11-15) >>Read answer Welfare Reform Bill Ms Ritchie asked the Minister for Social Development what discussions he has held with his Ministerial counterparts in Westminster regarding the implications of the Welfare Reform Bill for disadvantaged people in Northern Ireland. (AQW 887/11-15) >>Read answer

Political Party Conferences Dates for the diary, upcoming party conferences:
y y y y y

8-9 September 2011 - Sinn Fein - Waterfront Hall 21-22 October 2011 - Ulster Unionist Party - Armagh City Hotel 4-6 November 2011 - SDLP - Ramada Hotel 25-26 November 2011 - DUP - La Mon Hotel 21 April 2012 - Alliance - La Mon Hotel

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