Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I listened to the Minister of State's statement in which she spoke about root and branch change. Certainly, that must happen. When I was listening to the other speakers the question of the definition of disability and how we describe it came into my head. It is quite a pertinent question. We have mentioned many other issues people have that do not fall under its remit at present. It is very worrying.

It also requires the involvement of all stakeholders. That goes back to my opening remark about root and branch change. I recall a number of years ago when I was on the town council. We involved all the stakeholders, including the Irish Wheelchair Association and so forth, to try to come up with a popular plan for public transport in the area. What evolved was that the town council at the time won a European mobility award because it took all the concerns on board for things such as easy access and crossing roads, the stuff able-bodied people take for granted. We need a rapid change on this.

I thank the Regional Group for bringing this motion before the House because there is also the mental, not to mind the social, impact that affects people. In raising this and addressing it we should try not to label people with a disability because they automatically seem to be disadvantaged in this country when they should be getting far more supports. I call for support of this motion and I congratulate the rest of the speakers.

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