The Disability Act 2005
Background
In 1996 a Commission was set up to determine the needs of people with disabilities in Ireland. The areas assessed by the Commission included employment, access to public services and transport. The findings were collated over a two year period into a report called the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities. The recommendations stated that there should be equal opportunities in education, and that a Disability Act should be established that would set out the rights of people with disabilities. The Disability Act would endeavour to create the means of redress for those whose rights were denied. The Act would require public and private bodies, employers and educators to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, and to meet their specific needs. Arising out of this Commission, equality legislation was passed, including the Disability Act in 2005. This act deals specifically with making public bodies’ services and employment accessible to people with disabilities. One of the requirements of this Act is to establish Access Officers to carry out the remit of the Act and UCD has appointed me, Tina Lowe, as the Disability Access Officer, under the guidance of the Director of Access and Lifelong Learning.
Brief Description of The Disability Act 2005
The purpose of this Act is to advance and underpin the participation of people with disabilities in society by supporting the provision of disability specific services to improve access to mainstream public services. The Act obliges public services to make buildings and services accessible for people with disabilities and requires them to take positive actions to employ people with disabilities (there is a targeted quota of 3%, whereby public bodies are expected to recruit at least 3% of staff with disabilities).