Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was really taken by Ms Kennedy's submission and her description of being out for a walk with her guide dog but had to give way to a person on an e-scooter who interacted with her guide dog in a really disturbing way. Such behaviour will become commonplace if it is not dealt with in this Bill. A person with a disability is entitled to walk with her dog and daughter on a footpath as footpaths are for common use. A joint submission has been made and I am disappointed that only an acknowledgement has been received to date. I strongly support the call for robust engagement on foot of this meeting of the Oireachtas joint committee whereby the officials from the Department, the Minister and Minister of State would sit down with these groups to iron out some of the issues. I thank all of the witnesses for their submissions today and assure them that we, as a committee, will follow up this issue.