Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

When the Government withdrew its first attempt at a disability Bill, it had the opportunity to get it right the second time around. However, despite the lengthy period between the withdrawal of the original Bill and the presentation of this one to the House, it is sad that the promised consultation does not seem to have delivered and that those with whom consultation should have been an engaging exercise continue to have widescale reservations about this Bill. The Government seems intent on pushing through a philosophy towards disability that does not meet the needs or recognise the rights of many in our society.

The Opposition has a duty to ensure there is sufficient questioning of that philosophy. If the Government is still intent on proceeding with this Bill, our duty is to ensure that we bring forward all possible amendments to improve it and put it on a better road. I am not particularly confident that a Government that did not listen on its first opportunity is prepared to listen more carefully on its second.

See this speech in context