Dáil debates

Thursday, 7 October 2021

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Rights of People with Disabilities

11:20 am

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the fact that the Minister of State is on target. I also do not expect either her or the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, to give us sight of the budget. I acknowledge the extra investment but it is not being seen on the ground. We have had this conversation. It seems to go into a big black hole and people's lived experience continues to worsen and disimprove. When the budget is published there will, possibly, be extra resources, but where are they going?

Members of the National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers tell me that it is in the worst state it has been in for many years. They have not had the capacity to fundraise as a consequence of Covid. That fundraising was the difference between them being able to provide a service and being able to assist families in very hard situations. We will have massive amounts of millions and billions of euro announced on Tuesday and then, ultimately, as part of a service plan, but we need to see where that is being spent. We need to see if that will help our communities and families.

As the Minister of State finalises her budget this weekend, I ask her to keep that in mind. Billions mean nothing if people are not getting respite, if their child cannot get a place in school and they cannot go to their local town, as we saw during Make Way Day. Billions mean nothing if they cannot get a service.

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