Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is a fantastic question. I ask him to consider my voice within a three-party government. I would like to think I have a significant advocacy role for persons with disability. The Taoiseach put me working with the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. It would not be possible to have two more open-minded people within that Department who are strong advocates for inclusion and equality for persons with disability. I would like to think that our leaders and our parties have disabilities at the centre of their agenda at all times. Coming up to the budgetary process, I wrote to all Ministers to ensure that they disability-proofed their budgets. In advance of the publication of the national development plan, I wrote to ensure they proofed their budgetary submissions. Equality and inclusion for persons with disabilities is front and centre of our role in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. People with disabilities are well represented and their voices are well heard.

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