Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)

I move amendment No. 93a:

In page 16, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following:

"13.—The Minister shall make regulations—

(a) providing for the establishment of a Disability Access Card Scheme (in this section referred to as a 'Blue Card Scheme') for the purpose of minimising the degree to which persons with disabilities are required to undergo repeated medical eligibility assessments,

(b) enabling the holder of a Blue Card to access cross-departmental services as may be specified in the Scheme so as to ensure a cohesive and coordinated delivery of services to persons with disabilities.".

I am glad to bring this amendment forward and I ask the Minister of State to accept it. It is welcome in that it will not create a charge on the Exchequer but will save money. Repeated examinations are among the many difficulties with which disabled people must contend. This amendment is straightforward. I hope the Minister of State will take it on board in order to provide some semblance of fair play to disabled people. It is important for them.

The amendment will save money for the Exchequer by removing the need for repeated medical examinations. According to its provisions, a disabled person will be recognised as such and issued with a disability access card, which could be referred to as a "blue card", to ensure that he or she has automatic entitlement to available services. The services would be designated in the scheme. Disabled people would not, as happens at present, have to attend different Departments for different assessments. Repeated assessments to determine eligibility for different services can mean terrible hardship for disabled people, particularly children. If the services to be provided under the scheme can be determined, it would be a simple matter, entitlement having been established previously, to grant access on production of a blue card.

I raised this matter previously and asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she would consider the introduction of a disability access card. She said she understood that I was referring to the need to minimise the degree to which people with disabilities are required to undergo repeated medical eligibility assessments. The Tánaiste indicated that she would support measures to address the matter. Given her support, she will have envisaged that the Disability Bill represents an appropriate context in which to introduce an access card. It is for this reason I have moved my amendment. As disabled children do not get better, unfortunately, and disability will not disappear, it is logical to make this amendment. It would have support across the disability spectrum and send a very positive message from Government to disabled people and representative organisations that it is interested in ensuring practically that disabled persons face less hassle.

By making my amendment, the Government would acknowledge the hardship of repeated examinations and indicate its willingness to make things easier for disabled people at the stroke of a pen. Leaving the humanitarian aspect aside to consider the matter in cold, cash terms, the amendment, far from increasing costs to the Exchequer, would save money by obviating the need for repeated examinations. Those who perform assessments would no longer be required to carry out the work under the proposed scheme. The amendment would be particularly helpful to children with spina bifida and other diseases whose conditions will not improve. I hope the Minister of State will accept an amendment which has been moved in a positive spirit and which outlines provisions with which it is easy to concur. It is important for the Government to make the amendment to show that it cares.

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