Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Regional Group on introducing this motion. It is now ten years since the mobility grant was taken away. Successive Governments have continued to promise that it will be replaced and that something would be done, but nothing has happened. I welcome the Minister's reference to ambition to deliver on this, but unfortunately ambition has been very lacking among his predecessors. I hope he will be able to deliver on this in his term because many are desperate to have their needs assessed and dealt with appropriately.

The disability sector seems to be a forgotten one and has been left behind for far too long. Some years ago, I went to Ballyshannon and met a wheelchair user, Ms Vicky Matthews, and spent half a day going around with her to see what it was like to manage, given the terrible condition of many of the streets. I believe Newstalk organised it. At the time, Ms Matthews was starting a course in what was then Sligo IT, now Atlantic Technological University Sligo. Getting a bus there and back was the big problem. There was no wheelchair-accessible bus from Balllyshannon to Sligo at any time, never mind an appropriate time, to allow her to attend college. This was eventually resolved after much lobbying and work but it is an example of the circumstances so many people with disabilities in this State face that we need to deal with urgently.

As many Members will know, my personal assistant in Leinster House, Jess, has a visual impairment. She often tells me that, when travelling to and from work, she, like so many others, faces issues with buses and other forms of transportation. She is an example of someone who lives life to the full and her disability certainly does not impede her ability to deliver in her job. That is the case for the majority with a disability but who simply need a little help to deliver to their full potential. As a society, we have a responsibility to ensure we give such people a little help so they can deliver to their full potential and be full and active participants in society.

This motion is on the motorised transport grant and all the associated issues. We need a commitment to deliver in this regard. There are major issues with public transport. It is not wheelchair accessible or in any way friendly for people who have access difficulties. The Government has been making commitments for so long but so little has been delivered. I hope the Minister and Minister of State will do their best, and I have faith in them, but perhaps there is a Sir Humphrey lurking in the background ensuring this will not happen. If there is, he needs to be given the gate because we need to deliver for people.

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