Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

I thank everybody who has participated in the debate. I have sat through many debates like this in the Dáil and heard the Minister of State's responses in the past. I have heard about the pilot schemes, the task forces and the marginal improvements in a horrendous situation. It is still horrendous. If you go from waiting six years for an intervention that your child needs to waiting for five years and eight months, that is still a horrendous, unacceptable situation. I do not doubt the Minister of State's sincerity. I definitely believe that she cares. I do not believe what she said, that the Government is fully committed to families of children with disabilities. I do not believe that the Government wants to convert any of that care into action that will make a meaningful difference to these hundreds of thousands of families.

An illustration of that is the Government's approach to the motion tonight. This is its regular approach and what it does every time with motions on this issue. It is not opposing our motion. It will allow the Dáil to pass it, but like Deputy Smith said, the Government has no intention of implementing it. There are 17 clear asks here. How many does the Government intend to implement? I do not believe it intends to implement a single one of them.

That is the height of cynicism. It makes a joke of this democracy that one can table a motion stating that we need to do this, the Government can let it pass and the Dáil will officially say these things but the Government does not intend to do them. I will give an example, point No. 12 says: "Immediately ratify the Optional Protocol of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;". The Government does not intend to immediately ratify it because if it does, then the likes of Greg Lewis or Charlotte and people whose children are denied the education to which they are entitled under Article 24 of the UNCRPD - "education on an equal basis with others in the communities in which they live" - could take action against the State. That is why the Government does not intend to do it.

It does not intend to scrap the means test for those on disability or carer's allowance or to make sure those payments cover the real costs of having a disability. The budget is a week and a half away. The Government does not intend, as point No. 17 calls for, to "invest an additional €2.5 billion and massively expand funding for disability payments ... in 2025 [as] the first year of a transformational multi-year programme to end exclusion and poverty for disabled people and ensure no one is left behind."

I do not believe that the Government intends to implement a comprehensive plan for staff retention across the relevant services, addressing in particular pay and conditions. We all hear awful stories of people who become therapists because they want to help children and are then trapped in an awful situation of managing massive waiting lists, not being able to do what they do, under massive pressure, unable to afford housing and then leaving and going into the private sector - a downward spiral. It relates to the point about pilot programmes in schools. It will be good if there are therapists in special schools; obviously, that makes sense. It would be good if there were therapists in every school but if one just moves therapists from CDNTs into schools, that will create an extra problem. The fundamental issue to address is staffing. That gets to the point around removing all barriers to further education for those in these professions. It is a question of fees and accommodation. These people could be on courses and relatively quickly be on the ground assisting while learning, etc. It requires doubling the number of places available in universities, ensuring assessments of need are carried out as well as recommended supports, ensuring delivery of adequate training and support for teachers, special education teachers and special needs assistants. We have a programme that would make a meaningful difference to all those people. This Dáil will adopt it, will say this is its position but it is the height of cynicism that the Government does not intend to do it.

The only way the Government will be forced to do any part of this is precisely by the campaigning pressure by the people in the Gallery today, those watching and those who will be outside the Dáil next Thursday. The Government has to be shamed, pressured and forced into it. It is not right. These parents should not have to fight. It is outrageous that they have to. They have enough on their plates already but that is what will ultimately make the difference.

See this speech in context