Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses and they are very welcome. I apologise, as I had to leave to do an interview. I was following the meeting on the screen upstairs but as I probably have missed one or two things, if I repeat some of the questions please forgive me. I am delighted to see Mr. Meere and he said he had some journey and I really admire anyone who goes back to university. In the job here, we have an interview every four or five years with 50,000 people and I often wonder if I could go back to third level education, so well done. Mr. Meere retrained and upskilled and the supports he was given were helpful but the fact he has to retain 75% of the original payment and will be reassessed after three years does not give any certainty and there needs to be a better system in place. As Mr. Meere said, it is discouraging.

On the disability passport, my colleague outlined it quite clearly. Is there something we can do to ensure that? There was talk about the Scottish healthcare model and I suggest to the Chair that perhaps we could bring them in to talk about that, because it seems to be the way forward? Perhaps there are aspects of that Scottish model we could look at.

I am delighted to see Ms Bird and the Rehab Group appear before us. We had the Rehab Group in many years ago and they were very badly treated. I have said it before that this committee is very measured and open and as everyone deserves due process, it is great to see. I want to speak about the great work the Rehab Group does with 10,000 people, championing diversity for people with disabilities all across Ireland. I am very aware of the Rehab Group's National Learning Network and note that each year, there are 7,000 students from 16 years of age to 65 years of age. I see it myself when I visit Atlantic Technological University, ATU, in Sligo and it is wonderful to think we have made such progress in the last number of decades. We can do more but it is wonderful to think of.

One thing I noticed when I was at the Department of Health about section 39 agencies or organisations like the Rehab Group is that Departments love good governance and good data. Once organisations have those relationships with principal officers, and I am sure the Rehab Group has those relationships, they put the question forward for more money and budgets and so on Again, it is great to have the Rehab Group because as I try to tell people, the State or Government cannot do everything and does not do everything. It needs people like the Rehab Group to provide the services and we have to provide the supports and funding for that.

Regarding the traditional workforce model, could the witnesses elaborate a bit more on that?

This will provide for places and supporting services. I thank the witnesses for advocating on behalf of all their service users.

The approach to eligibility thresholds and benefit levels that include the introduction of a disability passport have been mentioned. I am not certain what is meant by this. Perhaps the witnesses will elaborate on this. The system probably needs a lot of overhaul. It needs to ensure that it engages with service users. I thought this was happening already. Perhaps the committee can push-start it or give the impetus it needs. The Chair and the committee are very aware of the difficulties with simple things. The Chair is certainly pushing to make sure there is a voice not only in government but in all sectors of society. I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee and giving us valuable reassurance and information on what we can do.