Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Táim buíoch as an seans labhairt ar an rún seo agus gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Tully as ucht é a chur faoi bhráid na Dála. I have the privilege to have Praxis Care and the Blanchardstown Centre for Independent Living, two wonderful services, in the same building as my constituency office in Mulhuddart. There is also the Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland service in Castleknock, Laurel Lodge Community Centre and the Hartstown Local Centre. They do absolutely incredible work empowering people with disabilities to live independent lives and to achieve their full potential. These supports, along with their carers, are vital to that aim of achieving their full potential.

Last night, I was in the Corduff Sports Centre and attended the launch of the Thrive Group, which has been set up by a group of parents of children with DCD or dyspraxia. This fun-based club has been thriving and growing over the last number of months. There is one common theme among all of those people I have just mentioned. All of these groups - the projects, parents and carers - tell us one thing, that they have to fight from day one. They have to fight for every single service. They say to us - and I know they say it to the Minister and Minister of State as well - that trying to access anything with regard to persons with disabilities is getting harder. That means lost time, lost experiences and lost lives.

I welcome the Government's decision to not oppose this motion but I call on it to deliver a rights-based access service for people with disabilities. It is time for that now. People with disabilities need that now.

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