Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I apologise, but I had to run out twice to make phone calls to the kids. We talk about Leinster House being child-friendly, but is not child-friendly when we are meeting at 7.40 p.m. on a Wednesday. I am very passionate about this committee and the committees I sit on, but each time I am in after 5 p.m. I will be commenting on it, given the aim to have a child-friendly Leinster House. I wanted to say that.

I welcome the Minister of State. As was said earlier, it is always a privilege to work with the Minister of State. She is energetic and wants to bring about positive change for people with disabilities in Irish society. I do not think the Minister of State is genuine when she says she wants positive changes for people with disabilities, I know she is genuine. However, like Deputy Canney, I find it a bit disheartening that in 2023 we are sitting around tables having conversations about equality of opportunity for people with disabilities to ensure that they have equal access to buses, trains, etc. Only one of the buses operating on the X30 service from Busáras to Donegal is wheelchair accessible. I am sure that there is a bus that goes every hour and a half from Donegal to Dublin.

Two weeks ago, we had Make Way Day for people with disabilities. There are people in all communities who are still ignorant about wheelchair users. They put their bins out on paths, etc. We have to be really hard on that. People using wheelchairs should have equal rights to access our roads as non-wheelchair users. It is the same with people on crutches. I am speaking from experience of having orthopaedic leg surgery over the years, and using crutches and a wheelchair. It can really disable a person. I know the Minister of State already knows this, but as a member of this committee and somebody who is very passionate about equality of opportunity for all, I find it hard to think that people with disabilities still do not have full access to services. That is on our roads as well. What are we going to do about it?

The Minister of State said that consultation around decision-making for people is important and I agree with that, but for 20 years we have been having conversations with disabled people around equality of access to our roads, equal opportunities and ensuring they can use the same paths as non-wheelchair users. I have raised the issue of mobility for children with disabilities before. We talk about mobility, but children with disabilities do not have access to facilities in our play parks. Obviously, they can go into the parks but there no facilities for them. We should make that a legal requirement. We need laws like that. I know that it is matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, but the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth should be dealing with access to roads and parks for people with disabilities. We are going from Billy to Jack, we are back and forward and it goes on for a year or two. It is absolutely exhausting for people with disabilities and wheelchair users, who are still having to fight today in Ireland in 2023. It is no fault of the Minister of State. I must say that for the three years I have been here, she has been trying her best. I know that with all my heart. We need to be doing more in the budget. It is not just about it saying it here. Wheelchair users must be prioritised in bus services. I know a lot has been done, but more needs to be done.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth should be responsible for access to parks, etc., for people with disabilities. This is something that I am very passionate about. It is not right that children who are othered or different cannot go into a play park and have that opportunity to play with their peers. It is the simple things that make the biggest changes. I wanted to add that point to the discussion on mobility. I know it does not really come under the remit of the Minister of State's Department, but we should try to make it fit. I am interested in any feedback the Minister of State has. I hope the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth gets the support it deserves in the budget. We have no problem working with the Minister of State through this committee. As Deputy Canney said, we want to support the Minister of State, but we also want to see more action.