At the most simplistic level, when offering a telephone number, add mobile text numbers and email address. This is a very easy quick win to begin to be inclusive as these modes of communication already exist internally within all Public Bodies.
At a local and national level, underpinning documents for all the KCC Draft Chapters is to consider more fully the following:
The National Disability Authority have produced publications and good practice resources on the following topics: Communications, Disability Supports, Education, Employment, Environment and Housing, Health, Justice and Safeguarding, Social and Community, Social Welfare, Transport.
Universal Design
The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (CEUD) is part of the NDA. They have produced guidelines for the following: https://universaldesign.ie/
Built Environment
Building for Everyone, Shared Space, Housing and Dementia, Shared education campuses
Products and Services
Customer Communications Toolkit, Customer engagement in Energy Services, Customer Engagement in Tourism Services
Technology / ICT
Web accessibility techniques, IT procurement Toolkit, Irish National IT Accessibility Guidelines, Digital TV equipment and services
Code of Practice on Accessibility of Public Services and Information provided by Public Bodies
Building for Everyone
Good Practice guidelines for urban planning/local development can be found in the National Disability Authority's publication “Building for Everyone: A Universal Design Approach”: https://universaldesign.ie/built-environment/building-for-everyone/
Chapter 9 may be of particular interest as it has a section on development plans and local plans: https://universaldesign.ie/Built-Environment/Building-for-Everyone/9-Planning.pdf
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council specifically reference the NDA document in their current development plan in the statement on their Community Strategy.
Irish Sign Language Act
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability Integration and Youth have sought observations from all Government Departments regarding the implementation of the Irish Sign Language Act. The publication of this report is expected to be in early 2022. Queries regarding this can be sought from isl@nda.ie https://www.nda.ie/isl.
The Act itself is https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2017/act/40/enacted/en/html
UNCRPD
In addition to the ISL Act, the UNCRPD is the first international treaty to explictly mention and safeguard sign language and the Deaf Community with its unique culture. There are five articles referring to sign language, a brief summary of four are:
Article 2 'language' includes spoken and signed languages. The Article recognises that sign languages are equal and equivalent to spoken languages.
Article 9 'accessibility' '(e) to provide forms of live assistance and intermediaries, including guides, readers and professional sign language interpreters.
Article 21 'freedom of expression' (b) emphasises that the Government must take measures to ensuer that deaf persons can exercise the right to freedom of expression and opinion, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas on an equal basis with others and through all forms of communication of their choice, such as sign language.
Article 30 'participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport'
https://www.eud.eu/news/training/euds-crpd-toolkit-nads/#:~:text=The%20UN%20CRPD%20specifically%20states,people%20in%20their%20sign%20language.
Building for Everyone: A Universal Design Approach
This provides comprehensive best practice guidance on how to design, build and manage buildings and spaces so that they can be readily accessed and used by everyone, regardless of age, size, ability or disability.
https://universaldesign.ie/Built-Environment/Building-for-Everyone/
The Customer Communications Toolkit for the Public Service - A Universal Design Approach, has guidance to inform the design and procurement of customer communications across the Public Service. The Toolkit is based on a Universal Design approach promoted by the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design. The Toolkit was revised and re-published in December 2019 to align with changes in related legislation and terminology, since it was originally launched in August 2017.
Accessible online meetings
Participation in online meetings has become increasingly important since the start to the COVID-19 pandemic. NDA has published guidance on organising and running accessible online meetings (PDF).
European Union (Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies Regulations 2020
Public bodies in Ireland must ensure their websites and mobile apps are accessible to all people, including persons with disabilities.
The European Union (Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies) Regulations 2020 came into force on 23 September 2020.
The full name of the 2020 Regulations is “S.I. No. 358/2020 - European Union (Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies) Regulations 2020”. The 2020 Regulations give effect to the EU “Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2016 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies”. This is known as the Web Accessibility Directive.
The 2020 Regulations build on existing obligations to make websites and services offered to the public under the Disability Act 2005 and the Code of Practice on Accessibility of Public Services and Information provided by Public Bodies.
Building Back Better Consultations post Covid-19
https://www.nda.ie/publications/communications/building-back-better-consultation.pdf
Transport Publications
https://nda.ie/publications/transport/transport-publications/
United Nations Urban Development
At a much broader level, researching around some of the United Nations (UN) documents, https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/resources/disability-accessibility-and-sustainable-urban-development.html
United Nations Human Rights Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as ratified by the State
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRPD/Pages/PlainAndERV.aspx
https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2021-05-27/75/#:~:text=Ireland%20ratified%20the%20UN%20Convention,each%20year%20on%20key%20reforms.
Rights Protected by the Convention
Rights protected by the Convention
Some of the Articles in the UN CRPD guarantee rights for:
- equality and non-discrimination (Article 5);
- protection in situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies (Article 11);
- equal recognition before the law (Article 12);
- respect for physical and mental integrity (Article 17);
- right to live independently and be included in the community (Article 19);
- right to personal mobility (Article 20);
- freedom of expression and opinion and access to information (Article 21);
- respect for privacy (Article 22);
- respect for home and the family (Article 23);
- right to an adequate standard of living and social protection (Article 28);
- right to participate in political and public life (Article 29); and
- right to participate in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport (Article 30)