Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 2 July 2025

Committee on Disability Matters

Progressing the Delivery of Disability Policy and Services: Discussion (Resumed)

2:00 am

Photo of Hildegarde NaughtonHildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Keogh for her question. Yes, I think we have all been in situations in our constituency office where somebody has come in looking for a primary medical certificate and sometimes you just know they are not going to eligible although they really need the service. That is why the Department of Finance was reviewing this scheme. It will be with the Department of Transport. The Deputy makes a very important point. It is a disability matter. From a Cabinet point of view, when this national disability strategy is published over the next few weeks it will not just be up to me or to the Minister, Deputy Norma Foley, as Ministers with responsibility for disability. It will involve every single Department and that step change will be needed. The Deputy will ask how we can make sure that will happen. To follow up on that, there is a disability unit within the Department of the Taoiseach and a special Cabinet committee on disability on which I sit along with the Minister for Finance, the Minister for public expenditure, the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Health. All the key Ministers are in that disability Cabinet committee. When issues like this come up we want to make the step change that will enable the Deputy's constituent to be able to live an independent life, go to work and do the things we all take for granted. I know how frustrating it is. That is why we have reviewed the primary medical certificate. It is under review but as part of the national disability strategy we will have to make changes to that. I do not want to pre-empt it but I can sincerely say we have to change it to make sure people like the Deputy's constituent can access supports and be able to drive themselves.

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