Jimmy Devins (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on this legislation. While the Bill is relatively short, it performs the important task of amending the functions of Comhairle, which will now be actively involved in helping people with disabilities.

During the past few years, this Government has worked hard to improve the range of services and supports available to those who suffer from physical and intellectual disabilities. That is only right and proper because the disability sector has for too long been forgotten in Irish society. In the past, it was often the case that lip-service was paid to the provision of disability services but no real supports, whether in terms of money or personnel, were provided. For all of us who worked in health care, the lack of supports in the disability sector was an indictment of health and social welfare services. Such simple matters as the provision of disabled access to public buildings, not to mention the necessity of providing medical and social services, were simply overlooked. Thankfully, with the recent passage of the Disability Act 2005 and the commitment of the Government to the sectoral plans, disability is now centre stage. That is where it must remain.

As anybody who has had occasion to come in contact with people who suffer from disability will be aware, the strength of will and remarkable personal courage of disability sufferers have to be admired and respected. A society can be judged in many ways but most important is the way in which it treats its most unfortunate members. Misfortune can be a matter of financial hardship or it can arise from physical or intellectual disabilities. Life is not easy for a person with a disability. He or she has to fight constantly from the moment the disability appears, be that at birth or later in life. The society to which we all aspire must go out of its way to address the inequalities and injustices which are often the lot of disability sufferers.

Over the past several years, substantial strides have been made towards setting the balance in favour of disability. The additional funds made available by the Minister of Finance, Deputy Cowen, in recent budgets are testimony to his personal commitment to easing the burden borne by disability sufferers. That commitment was apparent during his time as Minister for Health and Children, when his interest in disability was greatly appreciated by all those involved in the sector. That is why I warmly welcome this Bill. A key issue for which the Bill provides is the establishment of an advocacy service for people with disability. This new service represents a huge step forward for this most vulnerable group in society. In effect it means that each person with a disability can have a personal advocate assigned to him or her so that he or she can be assisted in overcoming barriers to full participation in society. In addition a person will be appointed as director of the personal advocacy service and will have responsibility for the overall management and control of the service.

I also welcome the arrangements for an independent appeals process that will come into play allowing the personal advocate of an applicant, who is dissatisfied with a decision regarding his or her eligibility for any service, to become actively involved on behalf of the applicant. The role of the personal advocate is clearly set out in section 5, pages 6 to 12. In essence the role is to act on behalf of the disabled person so that he or she can more easily access any services to which he or she is entitled.

I particularly note section 5.7D(2), which enables a personal advocate in pursuance of his or her functions on behalf of the disabled person to enter any place where day care, residential care or training is provided for the person and to make inquiries on behalf of the person as is deemed appropriate by the advocate. In this way the personal advocate will be more fully informed about the person he or she is representing and will by extension be more able to represent that person in pursuance of a social service. While disabled people have become much more aware of their rights and entitlements, because of their disablement they are not always able to represent themselves fully when seeking services to which they are entitled. It will be the role of the personal advocate to represent the disabled person when seeking what is justly his or hers under social services.

I welcome the Title, which is clear and unambiguous. Changing the name of Comhairle to Citizens Information will make what is being offered much more obvious to all — namely information on all social services. We will now have the delivery of an integrated and seamless supply of high quality and independent information to the entire population and in particular to those who are most vulnerable and in need of support. The provision of information on the social services available can only improve the lives of all our citizens. From Department of Social and Family Affairs figures I understand that more than 1.5 million men, women and children benefited directly or indirectly each week from payments by the Department. This figure is staggering and makes it understandable why information should be readily available on any queries on the provision of social services by members of the public.

There are many other issues, such as housing, education, consumer rights, health services and employment, where members of the public have questions and need clear and unambiguous answers. The passage of the Bill will enable the citizens information board to deliver this much-needed information. I welcome the Bill, which will support citizens with disability to access their rights under the social welfare code more readily. I commend the Bill to the House.

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