The activities of the National Federation Secretariat Team focus on ensuring that member organisations are supported to provide high quality person centred services and supports to people with an intellectual disability. A key principle of the National Federation in delivering our outcomes is our commitment to actively engage with each of our member organisations and people who avail of intellectual disability services and their families.

The National Federation will continue its campaign to limit funding reductions and we will take every opportunity to remind Government of the commitment which they gave:

• to prioritise disability in the context of the National Disability Strategy, and
• to minimise the impact of budgetary adjustments on people with an intellectual disability.

We have developed initiatives to ensure that staff and volunteers in our services are equipped to meet the many challenges ahead, initiatives to promote the inclusion of people with an intellectual disability in their own communities and key policy development initiatives. And a key function for us is the sharing of information amongst member organisations.

We are proactive in developing and contributing to policy initiatives that impact on the lives of children and adults with an intellectual disability. Working closely with our various Sub-Committees, the National Federation develops policy positions on a wide range of topics for consideration by and approval of our Board.  We also contribute and respond to non-policy initiatives developed by the statutory authorities including Government, Health Service Executive, and an extensive range of advisory and expert groups.