Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

I do not wish to labour the point regarding the needs of people with disabilities. I am aware of the Minister's goodwill towards this issue and I would be extremely surprised if the first authority appointed did not contain some form of representation to ensure full access for people with difficulties. However, legislation does not relate to any particular Minister. In view of the current climate, I do not believe it is possible to state whether the Minister, Deputy Ryan, will even be in office in 12 months' time. I wish him well but we cannot be certain of anything at present. All that is certain is that the legislation, once it is passed, will endure until it is amended. That is extremely important in the context of providing certainty. However, it is vital that we steer the legislation in a direction which is inclusive and involves a political dimension.

The Bill is not merely concerned with administration and regulation; it makes a statement with regard to broadcasting itself. On Second Stage, I made the point that it does not contain a definition of "public service broadcasting". The Minister replied by providing a definition. The Bill is not merely concerned with the nuts-and-bolts issues; it is designed to ensure that access will be guaranteed to people across the country and to the members of the diaspora who live beyond our borders. One of the aims of the Bill is to ensure that certain standards are in place. Such standards must contemplate the needs of those with disabilities or the elderly. We can put in place all the standards we wish but if certain people are excluded, such standards will not prove adequate.

Regardless of the goodwill of the Minister or the Oireachtas committee, I do not believe that the needs of people whose access to services is restricted will be met unless provision is made in legislation. I ask the Minister to accept the amendment in my name, which makes provision on a one-off basis and which will not open the floodgates. Deputy Coveney made an interesting point with regard to gender balance, which is something to which we have all become used. However, there was a time when one was obliged to go out on a limb when one argued in favour of gender balance. To an extent, one was treated as somewhat hysterical and very unreasonable when one argued in favour of gender balance. However, that is now the norm and it no longer comes as a surprise.

We must address the needs of those with disabilities. Those needs are not acknowledged in the legislation or in the Minister's approach. There must be something concrete in it to give to people who experience many difficulties, and a great deal of discrimination. It may not be deliberate but it happens every day. One has only to try travelling in a wheelchair to experience the difficulties that are created by the obstacles in our environment. I urge the Minister to accept that it would be a good marker to set down that we acknowledge that people with disability and older people have special requirements that must be addressed in legislation rather than on the droit du seigneur of a Minister.

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