Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the Minister of State’s commitment, leadership and direction. As to this committee working together, our secretariat and Chair are second to none. They keep us all on our toes.

I apologise for being late. I was attending another meeting. I wish to raise a few points. Forgive me if they have been raised. The Minister of State responded to Deputy Canney’s question about whether legislation would make a difference. While legislation is important, its implementation is more important. Legislation does not change hearts and minds in society, communities and local authorities. What matters is the impact that legislation can make. Far too often, legislation is not implemented and its existence alone does nothing to support people or improve their lives, so it is not the be all and end all. That said, I agree with the implementation of the optional protocol. That is important.

It is good that the transport working group is back working. It is a shame that it stopped during Covid. Its report is important. It highlighted the need for consultation with, and active involvement by, DPOs. Any of us might have a view on a matter, but then we speak to people on the ground who have a totally different perspective. Mr. Ciarán Delaney was mentioned. I will mention him as well, as we often go back and forth on various matters. I appreciate how he takes the initiative. That form of consultation is important. Regarding transport, for example, Mr. Delaney pointed out to me that wheelchair-accessible buses had been taken out of the NTA’s fleet. The NTA has owned them all since 2009. They could be used for school buses and there is no reason they should not be. They are sold off for a pittance. Perhaps the Minister of State will elaborate on how consultation occurs.

When carrying out the census, the CSO needs to broaden its questions on disability and include specific ones on transport. From my work with Special Olympics Ireland, I saw how young people with intellectual disabilities, particularly in more rural areas, wanted to take part in sport, not for the physical enjoyment or prowess they gained from it, but for the enjoyment of being around their peers socially. Yet again, it is left to parents, and, in many cases, the parents of other children as well, to care for them. As we know, these parents are much older and do not like driving at night or at all. What is the answer? Many of these young people are left at home because they do not have opportunities. We have to build all of this into everything, and the CSO is the best way of doing that.

Local Link is a godsend, but it depends completely on where it operates and how responsive the chief executive is. The Minister of State referred to Kildare. I was on the council for many years and I agree with her; everything is disability-proofed in terms of playgrounds, etc. However, we also have a good Local Link programme. Mr. Alan Kerry is its chief executive and I speak to him on an ongoing basis about people with these types of need. Obviously, rural transport is not just concerned with people with disabilities, but if we had a service that was good, consistent, affordable and accessible enough, everyone would use it, including people with disabilities who want their independence and to go different places. That is why the CSO element is so important.

When I became a Deputy on the same day as the Minister of State in 2016, one of the things that shocked me was the fact that the mobility allowance and the motorised transport grant had been done away with three years prior. I submitted many questions – I have no doubt that the Minister of State did as well – about when they would be restored or a substitute would be put in place. We kept being told it was coming, but it never arrived. We need such a scheme. Will she comment on this?

Regarding the main barriers, she mentioned how we could support one another.

My final question is on Deputy Canney’s point about Indecon’s cost of disability report. Of €12,000, approximately €3,000 was attributable to transport costs. Just like anyone else, if people with disabilities are to have the fullest lives they can, we have to give them access to transport, be that in conjunction with Local Link or otherwise, so that they can get to where they need to be for education, work and social reasons.