Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on this motion regarding mobility and transport supports for people with disabilities. I completely support the motion. As it rightly states, Ireland is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which calls on countries to provide access to transportation on an equal basis to enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life. What is the point in putting our name to these conventions if we are not going to act on them or put them into practice? People with disabilities should be able to live a full and independent life and should be given the same opportunities as everyone else to be fully active in our communities.

The transport system in this country is not only completely inadequate but is a system of inequality. Transport services for those with disabilities are few and far between, especially in my constituency of Donegal, where the transport infrastructure continues to lag behind the rest of the country. I have been contacted by many constituents who are becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of mobility and transport supports, especially since the scaling back of these supports during Covid-19. Indeed, even for people to use the likes of the rail service, they have to book in advance and have to book for somebody to be there. Very often what happens now in the train stations in Dublin is that people are not there to meet them, so they cannot get off the train. That is just wrong and should not be allowed to continue. The lack of support means that many people with disabilities are missing out on employment, sports, entertainment and other activities. This is not only incredibly discriminatory, but we as a society lose out when we do not ensure that all people can participate fully and freely in our communities. We are also losing out on a very important perspective and voice when we do not ensure that everybody has a seat at the table. We should encourage those with disabilities to engage in public spaces and to participate in activism and politics. They are an important voice which is lacking in most decision-making roles in this country, and that needs to change.

We can make these changes in a number of ways. We need a complete review of the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme. The scheme's eligibility criteria are extremely limited and exclude many people who are in need of access to these supports for personal transport.

Keeping it extremely limited is deliberate, perhaps not on the part of the Minister of State but on Government's part. Historically, it has controlled access to the supports. That is wrong. We also need a replacement scheme for the mobility allowance and the motorised transport grant. It is a disgrace that nothing has replaced this allowance since it was discontinued in 2013. Those who relied on this allowance and the grant have been left without it for almost a decade. I call on the Government to replace both with a new and equal scheme as soon as possible.

I also call on the Government to reinstate the primary medical certificate, however, not in its current form which is not fit for purpose. This is a big issue in my constituency and I have been contacted by many constituents who have clear evidence and documentation of their disability, but somehow do not meet the very limited primary medical certificate criteria. It should be the case that if a GP believes a person should qualify for a primary medical certificate, he or she should be given this as an automatic right.

As well as these changes, we need to ensure that disability services are returned to full capacity in order for people with disabilities to continue to live full and active lives. Donegal disability centres, such as Cashel na Cor in Buncrana, are still working at reduced capacity. I have been contacted by constituents in regard to the ongoing situation at the centre where service users can only get two days per week at the centre. This is very upsetting for service users and their families. The service users are adults and many of their parents and carers who are elderly and need the service to return to at least a five-day-per-week service. This is the least they hope for.

I hope the Government will act on this sooner rather than later and that it takes the steps necessary to ensure a fair and equal society for all in this country. That is vital. It should be our role to ensure that everybody can access fair and equal services.

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