Independent disability agency ‘vital’

THE National Disability Authority (NDA) has called on the Government to retain an independent agency to deal with disability issues.

The call comes as the Government plans to merge a number of state agencies working in the equality and human rights sectors.

The proposed merger, mooted as part of the Government’s state agency rationalisation plans, would see the amalgamation of the National Disability Authority, the Equality Authority, the Human Rights Commission, the Equality Tribunal and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner into one agency.