Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail)
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Over the past couple of weeks we have discussed many issues in relation to budget 2025 including personal assistant hours, carers and the costs of disability. I believe this is the Minister of State's fifth budget. Each year she has achieved better and greater than the year before. There are many pressures on the system on a daily basis which have been outlined by my colleagues here and by the Minister of State. We all face these pressures. The Minister of State has also had a change of Department. With the help of this committee, we hope the UNCRPD has taken a higher ground and a greater emphasis. How does the Minister of State feel about her achievements? There have been many and we need to get more.

The Minister of State mentioned this in relation to other Departments. Does she think that the dial is moving within the other Departments in relation to their obligations under the UNCRPD? Has the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform looked at the action plan under the lens of the UNCRPD? When the Minister of State is going in hard-balling in negotiations we are rooting for her and for our constituents who need this action plan to be funded.

At a local level, I want to ask about respite services in CHO 8 in Louth. I will leave that open-ended question to the Minister for State.