Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank everyone for their time. This is a very important issue. The crux of it is that data gaps create cracks and people fall through them. They are not seen, and when they are not seen, they are not heard or accounted for. There is a status quoand we do not see change.

I have a specific question for the DPO Network with regard to disability-proofing. We have a disability stakeholder group, which has been in existence for almost 16 years. After that length of time, we should be at a point where Departments are holding up their hands and things are changing. That is not happening, however. What changes can be made to all these groups, including the steering group, to make them more effective? How can DPOs be heard better? Do we need to put it on a statutory footing that recommendations are heard and implemented? On paper, it is excellent and people are being heard, but is it being implemented?

I will ask my next question of the representatives of IHREC. It relates to the public sector duty under section 42 of the Act that established the commission. Have any legal cases been taken against any public bodies or Departments in respect of their failure to act on that public sector duty, for not upholding the law, for discrimination, a lack of the promotion of equality, their treatment of staff or their treatment of the people for whom they provide? All of us in this room can see that Departments discriminate and do not uphold their public sector duty. They are under an obligation every year to write a report to IHREC. Has such a report ever been challenged by the commission? Is there an avenue to investigate if a report comes in that does not match up with what we are hearing in the media? Can the commission investigate if there is a perception that there may be evidence of a failure to act on the part of a public body? This is important. The commission does an incredible amount of positive work that I come across as part of the work of each of the committees of which I am a part. Does the Act need to be strengthened? Where are we, and where has the commission been, in terms of holding our Government authorities to account under that Act? I am thinking of the case of a disabled driver, Ms Leigh Gath, that is in the media today. I hope she does not mind me mentioning her. She faces a bill of €23,000 to pay for her car because she has no ability to get a car in this country. The Department of Finance and the Revenue Commission are charging that lady. It is discriminatory because she cannot get a car in Ireland and must import one from the UK. She is being charged that amount of money just to have independence. That is discriminatory. Has the commission the ability to investigate under Irish law?