Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important motion. I recognise that the issue of disability is both emotive and complex. I accept that at times people who are disabled, their families and those who purport to represent them feel disenfranchised. In addition, they may feel they are the victims of a game of political football and feel badly treated by all of us in this House. In the main, however, my experience of talking to people with disabilities and their families is that they recognise the Government is trying to make a difference. The Government is undertaking a new way of politics regarding disability by putting the person who is disabled first.

We are privileged and fortunate that we have a Minister of State of the calibre of Deputy Kathleen Lynch. She has had a long-standing interest in the disability sector, attending and addressing conferences. In addition, she has visited and spoken and listened to people with disabilities. I want to put that on the record because Members opposite can throw political brickbats but will not give recognition where it is due.

I want to remind Deputy Finian McGrath and Deputy Ross that I have spoken on disability issues both in this House and previously as a Member of the Seanad. I come from a family that is deeply immersed in issues of disability. I am proud to be an advocate for the disabled in this House. Like the Minister of State, I listen to them every day of the week. I understand the frustration and annoyance people feel, but they should not have to feel that way.

While this motion is timely, I had to scratch my head when I read it because I saw nothing positive in it at all. All I saw was negativity and emptiness.

In his summation tomorrow night, I challenge Deputy Finian McGrath to come forward with solutions. While it is all fine to be critical and to be giving out, Members opposite should give solutions. They should come forward with their programme, blueprints and workable meaningful solutions. This is the challenge I put forward to Deputy Finian McGrath and his colleagues on the Technical Group benches, wherever they are at present. I do not see them. Deputy McGrath also has an obligation to do this and contrary to the remarks of Deputy Ross, he does not have a unique capacity of understanding and meeting people. I did not need to be told about disability by Deputy McGrath, as I live it every day of the week in my office, in my community and in my city of Cork.

The Government has a duty to treat all the citizens in a way that is fair and equal and this is what the Government will be and is doing. The Government will spend €1.5 billion this year on disability services. I note the complete absence, in the motion before Members tabled by the Technical Group, of a mention of the additional €4 million to provide training places. There is not a line on it, just as there is no mention of the €20.26 billion the State spends on social protection measures. As the Minister of State rightly noted, in budget 2013 the key aim was to protect and maintain the core social welfare payment, which affects and is needed by people with disability and this has been done. There is no easy way, magic formula, fairy godmother or tooth fairy to give us money. In his remarks, Deputy Ross made reference to FÁS. He is driving a clapped-out train and should move off that model. The Government has reformed FÁS and is changing FÁS and while there is a new mode of being there, Deputy Ross does not recognise that. The Government will protect and is protecting the most vulnerable in society.

Much comment has been passed on the issue of the mobility allowance and the motorised transportation grant. In this context, I note the Minister has appeared before the Joint Committee on Health and Children with the Secretary General of the Department. In addition, the Ombudsman has made known her viewpoint and I greatly welcome the establishment of a review group under the chairmanship of Ms Sylda Langford. I hope that sooner rather than later, an alternative model of funding will be put in place. I also greatly welcome that €10.6 million still is available to be given out again and I hope those who require access to public transportation will not be denied it.

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