Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank committee members, the Minister and the officials for their engagement this morning. We look forward to 1 March with great excitement. It has taken the long time of almost two and a half years to get this far. It is an important milestone for people with disabilities. The word "equality" appears in the title of the Department and it is very important that it is included.

Members have raised a wide range of issues. Fundamental is the sense that right now the services the State provides for people with disabilities are totally and absolutely inadequate. This is the bottom line. A case was brought to my attention yesterday by a parent who has been dealing with the HSE for a long time with regard to services. There was a fraught relationship between the family and the HSE and the HSE has put a solicitor between it and the parent. The parent can only communicate through a solicitor. This is the attitude that is there. As Chair of the committee I must say the attitude of the State has to change. Fundamental to this is ratification of the UNCRPD.

I have vented my frustration and that of the committee at various meetings with regard to the UNCRPD not being ratified. There have been many questions and Topical Issue debates in the Dáil and questions in the committee. We were readily told that 2022 would see ratification of the optional protocol of the UNCRPD. We are now into 2023. The Minister has outlined there will be a scoping report at Easter. We will look at it in depth and will possibly ask for the Minister to come before us again to discuss it. We need urgency on this. It is not just about having the optional protocol. It is about having a bond so that people can see there is an overarching UN regulation to ensure Ireland complies with everything for people with disabilities. We meet here every Thursday morning and we will continue to highlight the many issues that exist. I thank the Minister for his commitment and his genuineness regarding how he would like to see things change. There is not one member of the committee that would not want to see it changed. We will continue to bang the drum on it.

To use a sporting analogy, we are in the first ten minutes of the second half of the Government and we need to have the optional protocol in place. It will be very important to tackle every issue that is there and the inequalities that people with disabilities, their families and communities face. In the time to come we will have a Taoiseach apologising for how people with disabilities have been treated. I said this when I took over as Chair of the committee and I have continued to say it as we have heard the evidence that has come before us. Given the Minister's sincerity and the sincerity of the Minister of State Deputy Rabbitte we look forward to the transfer of functions. We also ask for a sense of urgency in ensuring the optional protocol is put in place. I thank the Minister and I thank everyone for their contributions this morning. I thank the background team who did so much work over the recess to compile reports. I also thank our members.