People with Disabilities in Ireland
4th Floor Jervis House
Jervis Street
Dublin 1
Telephone: 01 87 21 74 4
Fax: 01 87 21 77 1
Email: info@pwdi.ie
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Conference Report and Campaign Toolkit
January 2002
This report was compiled by Jacqui Browne on behalf of the Get Your Act Together Conference Organisers.
These guidelines are available in alternative formats including diskette, large print and braille on request by contacting the Disability Federation of Ireland, at (01) 2959344 or Email:
info@disability-federation.ie
Forum of People with Disabilities
01 87 86 07 7
inforum@indigo.ie
DFI
01 29 59 34 4
disability-federation.ie
NAMHI National Association of Intellectual Disability of Ireland
01 67 66 03 5
info@namhi.ie
PwDI
01 87 21 74 4
info@pwdi.ie
The enactment of rights based legislation is essential to enable real and equal participation by people with disabilities in Ireland.
However, the delivery of a broad and comprehensive rights based Disability Act requires a clear understanding of the breadth and depth of the issues involved. It is essential to recognise the cross-cutting and complex nature of drafting appropriate legislation to ensure that it is fit for the purpose intended. It was in this context that the Get Your Act Together Campaign organisers decided that there was a need for a national event to take place.
On December 3rd 2001 a major conference called Get Your Act Together was held in Dublin. The purpose of the conference was to inform the context and content of a Disability Act in Ireland. This report presents the key issues and concerns raised by the various speakers and participants at the event. Over 400 people, individuals with disabilities, families of people with disabilities and organisations of and for people with disabilities attended the conference. Both the numbers in attendance and the atmosphere at the Conference demonstrated loudly and clearly the level of interest in securing effective rights based legislation.
The purpose of the Get Your Act Together Conference was to provide an opportunity for individuals and organisations nationwide to become better informed, while hearing each others views and insights.
The Conference was also to serve as a focal point. It ended up being a platform from which the Get Your Act Together Campaign was launched as a vehicle to move the Disability Bill forward.