Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)

I welcome the publication by the Government of The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. It has been suggested that this is a roadmap for inclusion of citizens who live with a disability. We have been down this road before and without a legal framework, I fear this strategy will not have any meaningful impact at all on the lives of those living with a disability, but I might be wrong. Each pillar title of the strategy represents an area where this Government and its predecessors have failed to advance services and supports for those living with a disability, be that in terms of inclusive education, employment or independent living. Pillar 1 is education and inclusive learning. There has been a failure to deliver for students with additional needs. These students have a fundamental right to education, but a failure to provide and deliver sufficient school infrastructure has meant that many of them are denied the supports needed to offer them an appropriate education. What action does the Department intend to take to address the serious shortfalls in the services for children with additional needs at Le Chéile national school in Limerick? The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, visited this school with me last week, and I have raised it in the Dáil on a number of occasions. I hope some action is taken in respect of that school very soon.

Pillar 2 is employment. We lag far behind our European counterparts. The European Disability Forum's Human Rights Report 2023 notes that this State's rate of employment for those with a disability is the lowest in the EU. I have seen so often the level of talent and creativity in those of our citizens who live with a disability. To date, many of these citizens have not had the employment platform to showcase these talents. This must change.

Pillar 3 is independent living. Those with a disability are too often denied independent living opportunities, but they are just another cohort of people who have been impacted by our housing crisis. Some 13% of adults aged over 25 within the home have a disability. A disability allowance payment is simply not sufficient to support independent living given the cost of housing. Funding for housing adaptation grants has already run out in Limerick so necessary conversion works cannot be commenced. This is an absolute scandal.

We also have a problem in this State when it comes to providing a guarantee of rights to people with a disability. They have few rights at present. It should not take the inspirational work of teenage disability rights campaigner Cara Darmody to prompt change and action. When it comes to providing assessments of need for children with a suspected disability, the Government is in constant breach of the law. The State is basically repeatedly breaking the law every day with regard to children with disabilities and this has to stop. The State is legally required to carry out an assessment of need within six months of an application yet the HSE estimates that by the end of this year almost 25,000 children will have been waiting more than six months, with 15,000 already waiting more than six months. An assessment of need is vital for children and their parents. It is crucial in supporting parents as they seek to access services such as occupational therapy, speech and language supports and provisional special assistance within school settings. I would contribute a lot more, but I have run out of time. I am chair of the disability matters committee and we will pursue all of this stuff during this Dáil term.

See this speech in context