Debate contribution: United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Debate contribution by Mr Gordon Lyons on 25 November 2024.

MLA

Mr Gordon Lyons

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

25 November 2024

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4675313

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. Addressing the factors that can preclude deaf, disabled and neurodiverse people from participating fully in society as valued and respected citizens in their own right remains a key priority for me. Today's debate is opportune, as it allows us to discuss all the facets of the issue, be it building on the success of previous initiatives or highlighting the areas where we still have some way to go to achieve equality and the full participation of everyone in Northern Ireland. As the motion clearly states, there is a real need for us all to recognise the diversity of disabilities throughout our society and to acknowledge that a one-size-fits-all approach not only is undesirable but simply does not work. What we can agree on is that people with a physical or mental impairment that is substantial and has long-term adverse effects on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities require additional assistance and that assistance can be particularly constrained at times of budgetary pressures such as the ones that we currently face. Our aim, therefore, must be to make sure that funding works for those who need it most when they need it most. Therefore, the initiatives that we deliver need to be effective and, just as importantly, sustainable in order to deliver lasting positive change. Over a quarter of our population has limiting, long-term problems or disabilities, and that, in turn, impacts on many households. A robust portfolio of targeted strategies is pivotal to addressing the issues and to coordinating the work needing to be done. Hopefully, all Members will be aware that my Department is leading on progressing the Executive's disability strategy as well as a disability-in-work strategy, and I have tasked my officials with progressing that work at pace. In the course of that work, I have listened to many people in the disability sector, and I thank those who have engaged with me so far. I will continue with those helpful meetings moving forward. Inclusion and accessibility are the preconditions for deaf, disabled and neurodiverse people to live independently and to participate fully in society on an equal basis with others. We know that because they have told us. Therefore, one of my key objectives as Minister is to move beyond a disability strategy that sets out visions for improving the lives of deaf and disabled people to a strategy with a focus on delivering clear, tangible results. I am pleased to say that the ongoing development and co-design of the Executive's Northern Ireland disability strategy has provided an opportunity for the views of many deaf and disabled people in our community to be heard and an opportunity for them to actively participate in that strategy co-design. That will continue through a further stakeholder engagement process. I pay tribute to the valuable progress made to date and take the opportunity to reiterate the overriding principle of such work: "Nothing about us without us". At times, progress is slower than we would all hope; however, we cannot lose sight of the fact that all of our people deserve to live happy and enriching lives. That should be viewed not as an ambition but as a fundamental human right. My strategic focus, therefore, will be on programmes and policies that are transformative to people's lives and to society as a whole, and I intend for the disability strategy to demonstrate just that. Further pushing to achieve the equalisation of opportunities and drive forward change is my Department's developing disability-in-work strategy, which will set a long-term ambition of increasing our disability employment rate. Whilst we already deliver a range of provision in close partnership with our voluntary and community sector, there is more that I want to do to enable deaf and disabled people to fully participate in work. Led by my Department, the strategy has been co-developed by a wide range of partners, including deaf and disabled people from the outset, to ensure that our shared knowledge and expertise delivers the change and impact needed to reach our ambitions.

I will.

The monitoring and effective reporting of the strategy will be developed as a key part of strategy development, but, absolutely, we need to have clear targets so that there is an understanding of what we are trying to get done. When I spoke in the Committee, I was making the point that it is an Executive-wide strategy. Each Department will be responsible for its own actions, and I hope that Members of the House and members of the Committees that scrutinise those Departments will hold them to account for those measures. I want to be clear that that does not mean that there will be no monitoring or that there will be no targets for that. I hope to bring the strategy for Executive consideration early in 2025, with a view to launching a public consultation and getting the strategy implemented. There has been a call from Members today and from the disability sector for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to be incorporated into local legislation; indeed, the motion today calls for that very thing. I can tell you that that will be fundamental in the context of the ongoing development of the disability strategy, and I commit today to ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to share their views and ideas on how best to move forward. In addition, I am aware that the Committee for the Executive Office is undertaking an inquiry into differences in equality legislation between here and other regions of the UK. It is expected to publish a report on its findings and recommendations in early 2025.

There are two strategies that I hope to bring forward. The disability and work strategy, which is what I am talking about at the minute, and the wider disability strategy, which, of course, will be an opportunity to see how that can work alongside what the Member proposes today. It remains essential that we learn from what has gone before whilst giving the opportunity for new views and voices to be heard. It is clear from the comments made across the Assembly today that we agree on the importance of this work. We need to ensure that we get it right, because we cannot waste the opportunity that a united Executive provides to move forward as a society. Therefore, I have recently advised my Executive colleagues that I am reconvening the disability strategy cross-departmental working group to revisit work already done on the disability strategy and to ensure that it remains relevant and achievable. I will be happy to keep the House informed of any developments as they happen, with a view to bringing a completed strategy to the House as soon as possible. I want to take a couple of minutes to respond to some of the comments that have been made today. Needless to say, I agree with most of the comments from other Members, but I want to pick up on a few issues. First, I recognise the points that Mr O'Toole made about legislation in this place. Legislation is important and is one vehicle by which we can improve the lives of people in Northern Ireland. There is a place for legislation on the work that we have been talking about today. However, it would be wrong to measure the success of the Executive by the passage of legislation alone. In fact, I do not think that we need to look too far into the dim and distant past to understand that legislation has been passed by the House that has not been helpful to the well-being of Northern Ireland. There are other things that we can do that will make a difference. That will be part of the disability strategy and the disability and work strategy, which can make a real difference in the lives of people across Northern Ireland. I commend Diane Dodds on her speech because, in my view, she hit upon the key issue, which is the value of life. It is under attack at the beginning of life and at the end of life. It goes to the very heart of the issue, which is the value that we place on people and on a human life. Therefore, I will support her amendment today. I also want to refer to remarks by Kellie Armstrong. First, I commend her for her work on the issue and for the passion that she has shown in the debate today. I agree with much of what she said, in particular about sign language and the lack of interpreters. She will understand that it has been an issue for me for many years. It is something that I want to move forward with quickly. I got Executive permission to get a sign language Bill drafted; we have been waiting for that for many years. During the New Decade, New Approach negotiations, I wanted to make sure that it was incorporated, and I am pleased that significant progress has been made on it. I look forward to making an announcement shortly. I understand the point that she made, and I hope to have a positive response soon from Executive colleagues. I will pick up on the point that the Member made about the "Do not resuscitate" orders. It is absolutely right that those were mentioned. I can confirm that it was a concern for my party at that time, and the record shows that DUP members raised it both in Committee and through questions for written answer. We have been consistent on the issue and are certainly concerned about some of the things that we have heard. Finally, I want to address a comment from Sinéad McLaughlin about the need to work together with DFE. That is absolutely something that I am committed to doing and something that she will see in the disability and work strategy.

Quite frankly, it is shameful that so many people who are disabled and who want to work cannot break down the barriers to getting into work. We need to help them to do that. It is shocking and disgraceful that there is such a large gap between disabled people in Northern Ireland and in the rest of the UK when it comes to work. I want to do something about that. I absolutely will work with the Department for the Economy and all other colleagues to make sure that we break down those barriers as much as we can. I am encouraged by the mostly positive views that have been shared today. They demonstrate, I believe, that we all have a common purpose here. I look forward to working with my Executive colleagues, Members across the House and our partners in the disability sector and beyond in a coordinated and effective way. I am determined to deliver positive change in all aspects of my Department, but, in this area, we have a united front, a shared goal and a common objective. I agree with Members when they say that it is time to get on with it, and that is absolutely what I am doing.

1,863 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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