Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I echo and support the calls for the re-establishment of the Seanad Select Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. The previous Seanad led the way on discourse and discussion on Brexit. This issue has far from gone away, although it has probably been sidelined as a result of Covid. I certainly believe this Chamber has a significant role to play in that regard.

I also echo and agree with calls for the Minister with responsibility for disability to come into the House. I was concerned about delays when I heard about them. They were discussed on "Morning Ireland" this morning. It is totally unacceptable. We made considerable progress on disability when we had a Minister of State with specific responsibility for disability at Cabinet, namely, former Deputy Finian McGrath. We made progress by ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, CRPD. I am not sure how disability fits into the Ministry to which it is attached but I am willing to keep an open mind. It would be appropriate at an early point in the next term to have the Minister with responsibility for disability, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, in the House to give us his view on disability and the uphill battle that must be fought to create an equal society. I look forward to that debate and engaging with the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. I have no doubt the Minister is sincere in his endeavours, but we need to see what his roadmap is. There are commitments in the programme for Government on disability, one of which is the establishment of a joint Oireachtas committee to monitor the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I would like to know when this committee will be formed and I would like more details on its specific mandate. I look forward to that debate in September.