Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and the Minister of State for being here and for their commitment to disability services. They have a large task with many challenges ahead of them. Indeed, we as a committee have a large task as well in helping to identify those challenges and trying to work collaboratively to make practical recommendations that will make people's lives easier because that is what it is all about.

The Minister of State talked about transforming lives. It is about helping people live their lives and allowing their families live their lives. We also must have a situation where we can give hope to those with disabilities and their families and help them reach their potential and live their best lives.

The most important aspect by far when we are dealing with disabilities is early assessment and early intervention. That is absolutely crucial. That has to be the number one priority, for us as a committee and for Deputies O'Gorman and Rabbitte given their ministerial responsibilities.

I made a few quick notes on what they said in their opening remarks about issues, which I welcome. I could not agree more with disability issues being taken out of the Department of Health. It is not only a health issue. Equality, education, social affairs, employment and transport in terms of access are also most important.

I welcome the fact that the Minister of State will chair the network. There is mention of various different Departments involved. It would be useful to have those Departments listed because all too often we see, as in the national disability inclusion strategy, where actions are assigned to Departments and public bodies without defining them and it is difficult to monitor and examine the impact when we do not have the Departments and public bodies specified. There is no doubt we need robust reporting and monitoring and accountability in that regard.

Regarding employment, during the Thirty-second Dáil, three committees came together to look at the challenges and the barriers - the Joint Committee on Education and Skills, the Joint Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Joint Committee on Health. We made some very strong recommendations.

The barriers that exist for employers that the Minister of State is talking about are important and linking in with both IBEC and chambers of commerce will be most important. In Kildare, KARE started an initiative to do just that. I visited one of them two years ago. It was so well organised but far too few employers came. We need to link in strongly with the business community. I have no doubt that with the proper understanding and supports, businesses will come on board. I was involved in setting up the Oireachtas Work and Learn, OWL, internship for which we had 12 students from KARE and WALK in Walkinstown. After the first year, four of the 12 got full-time jobs. If anything, that is an incredible testament to giving people opportunities.

The Minister referred to accessibility. Just because some train stations have a bridge does not mean that bridge is in working order. I found that to be the case on a regular basis at my station in Newbridge. Irish Rural Link does an incredible job in rural Ireland. It should be given more support and more resources to help those with disabilities. The structure is there. We need to have it.

On housing, I certainly welcome that the Ministers will meet the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. A percentage of housing is social and affordable and a percentage of those houses should go to people with disabilities in every local authority area.

I welcome that the Minister is looking for the experience and perspective of those with disabilities. That is something we are doing as a committee. It is also important to look for the perspective of family members who are caring for those with disability. We cannot lose that.

I am glad he mentioned the commencement of the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015, which is long overdue. Perhaps he could give us a timeline for that.

Everything the Minister said in that regard is rights-based. That is something for which many people have fought for a long time. I refer to former Independent Senator, John Dolan, who did significant work in that area.

I refer to the issue of respite, which has again been raised. In taking the whole context of Covid, the lives of families have been so difficult. They still have not had the opportunity for respite. In January, I attended an emergency meeting with KARE and the Muiríosa Foundation in County Kildare, which is in CHO 2. They are two wonderful organisations that do so much. They stated they would have to stop providing respite as a result of the proposed 20% cut. Thankfully, that cut was reversed by the current Government. However, there is still a problem. I am talking about two different perspectives, one from somebody-----