Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for being here with us in what I can imagine is an especially busy week for her in the run-up to the budget. All on this committee hope that she will get a very good budget allocation because the people we speak about so regularly on this committee deserve that.

The NTA appeared before the committee last week and it gave a very positive update on much of the progress which had been made. We know that a great deal more needs to be done in this area but much progress is being made. This engagement was specifically in respect of DARTs, trains and additional carriages coming in. It also covered the more simple things such as the new raised platforms at bus stops as opposed to requiring ramps when accessing buses. These are all positives, in particular, in and around our city centre. We know that a great deal more needs to be done. Lucan Disability Action Group provides very specialised wheelchair-accessible transportation in my community, is telling us this all the time. Caroline Brady and her team there work quite closely with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

Is the eligibility criteria for the mobility allowance the only issue, with regard to the Minister of State's statement? My second question - I understand it is not necessarily within the Minister of State's remit but it would be remiss of us not to raise it in this forum - is to ask about the inadequacy of transport for students with additional needs getting to school. I have a case on my desk at present where a child has been sanctioned a month ago and still had received nothing from Bus Éireann.

Another issue is not necessarily specific to this topic but is definitely in the Minister of State's area and it comes up again and again at this committee. This is the need to support people with disabilities who want to return or enter into the workforce and those who want to become entrepreneurs and who want to do so without that cliff edge we hear so much talk about with regard to the supports that are already provided to them. We know that having a disability means that a person has more costs. If we are to discourage anybody in any way from working, that is a great shame. In respect of my final question there, has the Minister of State had any asks with respect to the upcoming budget or is there anything that she could shed light on - not to pre-empt what will happen next week - with regard to that specific issue? I thank the Chair.