Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Ba mhaith liom mo chuid ama a roinnt leis na Teachtaí Finian McGrath, Catherine Murphy agus Cuffe.

Bhí muid go huile is go hiomlán i gcoinne an Bhille a achtaíodh sa bhliain 2005. Tá mé fós ina choinne, agus ba mhaith liom go ndéanfaí aisghairm air agus go scríobhfaí Bille nua a bheadh bunaithe ar chearta mar a lorg muid ag am na díospóireachta sin, agus mar a lorg a lán de na daoine a bhí ag agóid ina choinne. Is trua nár tharla sé sin.

Agus é sin ráite agam, tréaslaím leo siúd a chuir na pleananna seo le chéile, mar tugann sé treoir éigin dúinn maidir lena bhfuil an Rialtas ag iarraidh a dhéanamh sa chéad chúpla bliain eile. Ní leor iad, áfach, agus sin an drochrud ó thaobh na bpleananna seo. Ní leor na sé Roinn atá ainmnithe anseo. Lorg muid go gcuirfeadh gach uile Roinn plean le chéile, agus is trua é nach bhfuil sé sin os ár gcomhair sa Bhille atá á phlé againn anocht. Ní hiad na Ranna seo amháin a bheadh gafa le seirbhísí dóibh siúd atá ar mhíchumas.

The advantage of the sectoral plans is that at least a timeframe is involved. As such, the plans are welcome and the indicative timeframes are a means by which we can measure progress. It is a pity we are not dealing with rights so that they could be guaranteed but the sectoral plans before us are the best proposal we have and are welcome.

As Rehab stated, it is crucial the Government implements robust monitoring and fully delivers on commitments. It is a pity the relevant committees did not deal with the sectoral plans so the expertise of those who deal with issues involving health and children and social and family affairs was not brought to bear on the minutiae of each of the plans. Perhaps, as we progress, sectoral plans will first be discussed by the relevant committees and then forwarded to the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights, which has responsibility in this regard because it also deals with equality. I hope the Minister will take this point on board. I hope also that more time is given to preparations for the debate and that each of us, as spokespersons on these issues, have the sectoral plans circulated to us rather than having to seek them out prior to the committee debate. I was not able to stay for the entire committee debate, which is a pity because I could probably have raised some of the points I intended to raise. Unfortunately, I had another engagement.

With regard to all of the sectoral plans, we need to ensure that we move forward, that delivery is achieved and that we set ourselves targets not only which are realisable but which force us to exert ourselves more than do some of the published plans. These targets should be slightly radical and force us to deliver this more quickly than is intended by the plans before us.

With regard to the sectoral plan on enterprise and employment, the attempt to improve access to employment for persons with disabilities needs to be backed by a commitment which permeates the Department's culture and informs its approach to planning and service delivery. This is essential if real advances are to be made towards the realisation of independent living. The strategy should also reach beyond simply focusing on vocational training. Barriers to choice need to be dismantled. In the immediate term, small practical changes can be implemented effectively, such as the following: parking bays for disabled people should be left free; disability awareness training should be rolled out; and access and reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities as service users and as employees should be provided.

The national supported employment programme is not inclusive, does not meet the needs of many employers and is not designed for people with significant disabilities. Just this morning, a woman with severe disabilities told me she is struggling because she has no alternative employment to her CE scheme but she has been told she must finish work with that scheme. We need to properly consider the effect all of this has on people with disabilities and how we can ensure they play as full a role as I or the Minister play in our society.

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