Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. The reason for raising the issue is that, as I hope we can agree, issues pertaining to disability and persons with disabilities are far too often marginal or peripheral to mainstream debate, and we need to change that. It stands to reason that the State, in particular the Government in office, through all its actions, including procurement policies and processes, needs to lead from the front.

I would like the Minister to be more specific rather than say the Government endorses this approach. I know there are guidelines in place, but what oversight is there of these guidelines? In what instances have those guidelines fallen and what action has been taken to remediate that and to ensure we do not just have good guidelines and legislation but also have good practice?

See this speech in context