Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Let me first say that seated two places to my left, we have a recognition of the fact that this Government is taking disabilities more seriously than any previous Government has done in the history of the State. We have a Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities who sits at the Cabinet table. I do not know if I would be revealing Cabinet confidentiality, which the Deputy would love me to do, by saying that he is not a man without a voice at the Cabinet table. Disabilities have got that voice at the Cabinet table and will continue to have that, and that is something that is unique in this country. I will raise this issue with the Minister of State immediately. He is here. He has heard what the Deputy had to say. She has got his ear here. This area is his job. It is the Government position that we should give a higher priority to disability and the Minister of State is a recognition of that.

I repeat what I said to the Deputy earlier because it is important that I should say this. My sphere of influence as regards disabilities extends only as far as transport, tourism and sport. The Deputy's questions and a few other questions on this area have revealed matters to me that I did not know previously, matters which I have only found out about in the past week or so, and that is the fact that transport is lacking in many areas in its consideration of disabled people. That is something I am beginning to recognise and which I will certainly do something about. I will urge that there is an enhanced interest, particularly in railway stations and outside the big cities' fleets where the buses do not provide enough access, and particularly on trains and in taxis. I do not know if it was the Deputy or another Deputy who said today that only 5% of the taxi fleet is wheelchair accessible, which I only learned about in the past week or so. Forgive me for saying that I am just learning about this area. I am particularly surprised by what I have found and I will do my best to ensure that disabilities is given a much higher priority than it was in the past.

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