merrion street

The Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Anne Rabbitte T.D., attended the High-level Videoconference on The European Strategy on The Rights Of Persons With Disabilities 2021-2030 on the 20th April 2021, hosted by the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union.

The conference was an opportunity to bring together European institutions, member-states and civil society organisations to discuss the Strategy, its goals and the challenges ahead.

Representing Ireland in a Ministerial Roundtable with colleagues from other Member States, Minister Rabbitte spoke about Ireland’s support of the EU Disability Card, which is a flagship initiative under the Strategy.

Speaking on this subject, Minister Rabbitte said:

“The EU Disability Card is a practical response to addressing the barriers faced by people with disabilities moving throughout the Union. The initial pilot that ran in eight EU countries was focused on the areas of culture, leisure, sport and transport. I think such an initiative could really help deliver additional benefits to people with disabilities across the EU.

“With a shared approach to the Disability Card across the EU, it would immediately open up possibilities that may not have existed before. It’s a really exciting project. The current indication is that by the end of 2023, the European Commission will propose creating a European Disability Card, which is mutually recognised between EU countries participating in the system, on a voluntary basis.

“By mutual recognition of disability and access to services across our borders we can begin to remove barriers faced by people with disabilities. This Card would offer real benefits to not just Irish citizens but millions of citizens across the EU. If we can use positive data from the pilot project, I believe that we can build the political consensus required to progress this initiative under the new Strategy. I’m confident Ireland will do its part in engaging in that process and assessing the possibilities that exist,” concluded Minister Rabbitte.

ENDS//

Notes to Editors:

• The EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 intends to tackle the diverse challenges that persons with disabilities face. It aims to progress on all areas of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, both at EU and Member State level..
• The goal of the Strategy is to ensure that persons with disabilities in Europe, regardless of their sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation:
  • enjoy their human rights,
  • have equal opportunities,
  • have equal access to participate in society and economy,
  • are able to decide where, how and with whom they live,
  • can move freely in the EU regardless of their support needs,
  • no longer experience discrimination.
• A summary of the Strategy is available here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_21_813
• The High Level Videoconference was hosted as part of the Portuguese Presidency, under the motto "Time to deliver: a fair, green and digital recovery".
• The Conference took place over the 19th and 20th of April. Due to limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Conference took place remotely.
• The Conference engaged European institutions, member-states and civil society organisations in a debate about the key issues that impact the daily lives of Persons with Disabilities such as accessibility, independent living and person-centred community-based social services, employment and inclusive education.
• Representing Ireland, Minister Rabbitte took part in a Ministerial Roundtable on the 20th April addressing specifically the Strategy’s its flagship initiative to introduce an EU Disability Card.
• As part of the Strategy and as a flagship initiative, in order to help people with disabilities travel more easily between EU countries, the EU is developing a voluntary system of mutual recognition of disability status and some associated benefits based on an EU disability card.
• Currently, there is no mutual recognition of disability status between EU Member States, leading to difficulties for people with disabilities, as their national disability cards might not be recognised in other Member States.
• The EU Disability Card would ensure equal access to benefits across borders for people with disabilities, mainly in the areas of culture, leisure, sport and transport (for example priority access to culture, leisure sport etc and free transport benefits). The card would be mutually recognised between EU countries participating in the system, on a voluntary basis.
• A pilot of the card was launched in February 2016 in a group of eight EU countries.
• More information on the EU Disability card is available here: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1139