Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent Ireland Party) | Oireachtas source

I take this opportunity to wish the Ceann Comhairle the very best in her new role.

My comments today are on accountability for the delivery of services. At the end of the day, the Government will be accountable but I am asking now for it to make changes within Departments so that people who do not deliver for people with disabilities in their Departments are made accountable. In other words they must make their Departments better and ensure that if somebody does not do the work we are asking them to do and that the Government itself wants to have done, there is accountability. If a person cannot do the job, out they go and somebody else new is brought into the Department to do it.

When it comes to changing legislation to allow people to work in schools, there must be equal opportunities for people with disabilities. In the workplace, there must be equal opportunities. We can see by the Government contracts being given out, that it is all only going to one sector. What I want to see from the Minister - and I do wish her well in her position - is accountability across the board. If someone cannot do the job, they should move over and let somebody else deliver the services.

We could go on here forever about this matter. If people look back on the record of the Dáil or at television recordings, they will come across statements that were made five, ten and 15 years ago. In those statements, people made all the same promises but there has been no change. Also, people in various positions have not been made accountable for failing to deliver services. This is where I am coming from.

I want the Minister and the Minister of State to run the Department like a business. If someone cannot deliver for the Department, which means they cannot deliver for the Government or the people of Ireland, they should move over and let somebody in who is ambitious enough to take it on and deliver for the Government, for everyone in this House and for everyone with a disability who needs work done for them. That is what I am asking.

I am going to take a different approach to the Government on this occasion. I will give whatever help I can to assist it, but I want to make sure that those in government ensure that the people who are supposed to be delivering for the State do so. If they do not, then they should get out and we should make sure that someone who can deliver for the vulnerable replaces them.

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