Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am disappointed it has taken three years. This scheme, and the Minister of State's response, is the same as the response she gave in February 2013. It is the same number of citizens with a disability who are ring-fenced by the current arrangement, or by inertia. My concern is for the many other citizens in society who do not have the same capacity to fully integrate and play an active role as citizens as a consequence. I come from a very rural constituency and have had an opportunity in the recent past to travel the constituency and meet people who are gravely concerned about the inequality created by this inaction. The Minister of State has ring-fenced the payment to 4,700 people and I would be grateful if she would, in her response, would give hope with a prompt legislative response for those citizens who are emerging with disability and who have no access to the current arrangement.

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