Mr. John Dolan:

I appreciate the opportunity to address the committee. I am aware that many groups would like to be here and I hope to make good use of this opportunity.

People with disabilities and their families are exposed to attrition in two areas. The first involves the specific services and supports that they receive, which are vulnerable to being cut, and the second is that, like anybody else in the community, they are affected by the general problems of austerity. Disability and disabling conditions in a broad sense are a major lifelong risk for every person and family. I do not think any of us escape completely because nobody can insure him or herself or hedge against the effects. The only entity capable of underwriting confidence that services will be made available is the Government. That is both a challenge and an opportunity for the Government in terms of leading and supporting community mobilisation. The Disability Federation of Ireland and the wider sector are keen to respond to that kind of leadership. We have a developed a system of multi-annual planning for our national income and expenditure under the troika. However, we have not developed a plan for sustaining public and social services. This is a worrying omission and it means there is little or no confidence in the possibility of sustaining public and social services that are up to the mark.

Incomes and the availability of public and social services are directly connected. People crave higher incomes if they cannot depend on the necessary basic services. Forget about the bells and whistles; they need to have confidence that the services will be available when they need them. The widespread uncertainty in respect of social infrastructure is damaging to the country's economic and social fabric. Without a reduction in the cost base - which largely involves people when it comes to human services - and the general cost of living, there should be no more cuts to services and incomes. Significant improvements in value for money can be achieved across the system through better whole-of-government engagement.

I welcome the publication in July of the Government's implementation plan for the national disability strategy. A senior Minister should be given responsibility for disability inclusion and tying the threads together. We have a Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and that is the direction in which modern governments should be moving.