Dáil debates

Tuesday, 24 October 2006

Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage

 

6:00 pm

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I will keep the thrust of what I want to say until tomorrow's debate when I wish to contribute again. I echo what other colleagues have said in complimenting the Minister, Deputy Brennan, and his staff for looking after Members' needs and keeping us fully informed. I am glad that so many prominent Members of the Opposition were here to hear my brief contribution. I particularly wish to single out Deputies Penrose and Stanton as we work well together on the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs. I hope Deputy Penrose will not get into trouble because I said that. He runs the meetings of that joint committee very well. On all the occasions that he has attended the joint committee, the Minister will be aware that we work well together.

I am happy to work with the Minister as secretary of the policy group in our party, Fianna Fáil. The Minister listens to what Members say and the Bill reflects some of the matters raised at the joint committee, as well as matters he has heard about from Members generally. As the Minister said when introducing this Bill, we should always deliver customer-friendly services to the public. Deputy Catherine Murphy spoke about every street in Kildare and in tomorrow's debate I will talk about Tallaght. I am proud of the citizens information service there. I was invited to be a member of that particular board but when I became a public representative, I was no longer eligible. While I do not have a gripe about it, I sometimes wonder how public representation on various boards is addressed. While I am not referring to the Minister personally in this respect, I feel it is important to make that point.

In tomorrow's debate I will support what other colleagues have said with regard to the various disability groups that have spoken to us at length over the years. While we all acknowledge that there has been much progress, we must continue to listen to what they are saying, without patronising them. They are the people on the ground and, as such, they understand the issues involved. Like Deputy Crowe, I receive calls every day about disability matters. Earlier today, somebody contacted me about access in and around his estate to the local community centre and other local services. Everybody has a role to play in various bodies, including their local authority, which in my constituency is South Dublin County Council.

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