Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I was listening to the witnesses before I came in here. It is a repeat of a conversation we have had many times before regarding what is required. We are talking about how we allow or facilitate people to be the best they can be and to have full lives. When we talk about independent living, there is often a significant impact on families and nobody knows what the future holds. It is making sure we put in the funding and the resources at an early stage so we allow people to be part of society in all its parts, including education,employment and so on.

The witnesses have already laid it out in the sense that the biggest things we are talking about are personalised budgets combined with services and resources that required, ensuring that school is the place it should be and fitting everything in. The witnesses have already said that legislation on a right to personalised budgets is needed so there is no wriggle room regarding being able to provide a system that works. What are the main aspects we need to see this through? We know the conversation is happening across the board regarding disability and the added cost for people with disabilities and their families and the lack of a cost of disability payment. There is the promise of one in the future but it is an issue that needs to be put in front of the Government at this time.