Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses. Their contributions were very informative. The committee is doing its best to make sure people with disabilities can access all they are entitled to. My first question is to the Department. Will it discuss its involvement in community development and the policies that enable joined-up thinking in this regard? Joined-up thinking is where we are falling down. I am a rural Deputy for Carlow-Kilkenny. How does our rural future include provision for people with disabilities? I will give an example to explain why I ask that. This is also directed to the local authorities. We have a train station in Bagenalstown which was manned until last year. It is now an unmanned station and when that decision was made I picketed Irish Rail alongside people with disabilities who had contacted me. They cannot access a toilet if they go to get a train from Bagenalstown to Carlow. That is unacceptable. There is a lack of joined-up thinking, and this is where we need to make sure we deliver.

My next question is also to the Department. Will it advise on the PPN disability network and how a permanent network is being developed? I will go further on that in a minute. A number of issues were raised with the committee in its recent public consultation. We established that there was a lack of transport and Internet in rural areas and a lack of funding for local dance and drama groups. Cafés and restaurants are not highlighting if they have accessibility services, so people with disabilities do not know in advance if they can access the service. This is a huge issue across the board.

With regard to the DPO network, can Disabled Women Ireland discuss specific measures for including women with disabilities in local communities? It is all about local communities. Can the Independent Living Movement Ireland discuss the implications of limited access to personal assistance on achieving community inclusion? That is another area.

Will the CCMA elaborate on the role of local authorities? Which local authorities are leading the way on the UNCRPD and including people with disabilities? How can people with disabilities be included in planning and design stages so that full accessibility can be achieved? Are people with disabilities really consulted? I know Mr. Mulholland spoke about that when the local authorities look at upgrades in local areas or planning. I firmly believe there is an issue in that area.

A few weeks ago, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, highlighted to the committee that in the area of dementia outreach services she had carried out awareness training in local communities, for example, in libraries. Will the witnesses discuss the implementation of disability awareness training in local authorities, as well as the possibility of disability awareness training being delivered to communities through their local authorities? This is what it is all about - communication and information. It will not work unless everybody works together.

I am fuming about the issue with the train station in Bagenalstown. I cannot get anything good from Irish Rail. People with disabilities cannot use that station now, which is unacceptable. That is just one issue of many. I have asked a lot of questions. I thank the witnesses. It is important that we all work together to do what we can because everybody deserves a proper quality of life and to be able to access any building or area they want and join any community group they want.