Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

After promises for many years by many Governments this has been done. I compliment the work of the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, on making sure it was done. Vindicating the rights and freedoms of people with disabilities and providing opportunities for them goes way beyond conventions. It includes matters such as: the increase in the disability allowance, disability benefit and carer's benefit which takes place this week; extending medical cards as a right to children with severe disabilities in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance, which took place last year; extending free general practitioner, GP, care to carers and people in receipt of carer's allowance and carer's benefit, which we will do this year; and the additional money we have provided for respite care. We cannot do everything in one year and we cannot do as much as we would like to do in any year, but I do not believe any reasonable person can argue that we are not making a great deal of progress on all these issues, not just with regard to the convention and legal instruments but also in respect of practical matters such as income support and access to services.

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