Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and join colleagues in acknowledging her deep commitment to the disability sector. I also acknowledge the work of her colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, who leads the national carers' strategy. They have collaborated since the day they were appointed as Ministers of State. Anyone who observes them operating in this House, the Lower House and in committees knows they are a formidable pair who are committed to getting on with the work. It is important to acknowledge that.

I thank our Fine Gael colleagues for using their Private Members' time to discuss this very important issue. We are now into the last year of the coalition Government. A lot has been done and there is more to do. People want to be ambitious and that is the right way to be. Colleagues have many opportunities to raise issues at the infamous Wednesday parliamentary party meetings that are much reported on in the media. Perhaps not everything that is reported is altogether true. That is neither here nor there but I am always amazed by the follow-up on a Thursday morning, when it is nice to hear bits of news on "Morning Ireland". I am sure half of what we hear is not true. I have an office in LH 2000, where I see one of the parliamentary party people going into the meetings. I can read a lot with my eyes when I see him. However, that is all neither here nor there.

When considering any issue that comes before me, I always look at what is being asked for. There are 12 asks in this motion, none of which is unreasonable. I will single out two or three. The fifth request is for the Government to "carry out an audit on the spread of provision for respite services throughout the country, evaluating the provision, and to prepare a plan to address the provision of relief, emergency, short-term, overnight and longer-stay respite where deficits are identified". All the proposals are important but this is a particularly important one. Another request is that the Government "report on the progress of the implementation group on the Statutory Home Care Scheme". However, the references are all to publishing reports, what should be done in the future and ensuring certain matters are given priority. There are no timelines. I ask the Minister of State to address that in her response.

I have no difficulty with any of the requests or the motion in general. I ask that all Members take on board the two very reasonable requests by my Independent colleague, Senator Clonan, who has spoken passionately about these issues. He has lived experience of them, which he shares with us every day. He is an amazingly strong advocate for people with disabilities. We all have experience of disability either within our immediate families or within our communities. We all know there are not enough resources to go around. We cannot keep on just talking about this. We had the former Minister of State, Finian McGrath, in here a few years ago saying more or less the same as what we are hearing today, which is that the Government is working on it and there will be more resources and more engagement.

It is not unreasonable that we go a little further. The two amendments to the motion put forward by Senator Clonan speak for themselves. I appeal to colleagues to ensure we do something. We are in our final 12 months in Seanad Éireann. Many of us will not be back, some not by choice and others because they are going to the Lower House or somewhere else. It is important to use our remaining time in the Seanad in a collective and collegiate way to get something done. We have an opportunity to do so today. I appeal to colleagues on all sides of the House to come together and support the two amendments. I hope the Minister of State will spend some of her time in the debate focusing on the amendments as well as responding to the substantive motion. I would like to hear what she has to say in response.

I am asking for a roadmap, timelines and a commitment on resources. I am sure these are words that run off the Minister of State's tongue on a daily basis in her Department. I know how she operates and how she, rightly, makes demands on people. It is her job to do so as Minister of State. I want to hear from her what the roadmap is in the very short term for progressing these issues, including those addressed in the two amendments. Can she reassure us by giving timelines? What resources will be given? If we do not have the resources, the Minister of State is honest and frank enough to tell us so. We need to hear it here, in the Parliament, not anywhere else.

In amendment No. 2, Senator Clonan calls on the Government "to immediately ratify and implement the optional protocol on the UNCRPD". The Minister of State will note the word "immediately". This is a reasonable and fair request. I have no doubt that everybody in the House is committed to making things better for carers, empowering all our citizens and treating all citizens equally. We must be ambitious for all our citizens. That is at the kernel of all the asks in Fine Gael's Private Members' motion and the two very fair and reasonable requests by Senator Clonan in his amendments. I ask that we demonstrate to those listening to the debate this evening, including people with disabilities and their carers, that we mean what we say. Let us give power, rather than voice, to action. I appeal to colleagues to come together to support the motion with the addition of the two amendments.