Gillian Toole (Meath East, Independent)

I welcome the publication of the strategy and, most important, the commitments within it because that, in effect, is the roadmap. It will, most definitely, underpin the work of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Disability Matters and it will be our reference point. Indeed, we are already taking elements of it and incorporating them into the work plan of the current term.

Is the plan of action like to be published in December? The timeline was approximately three months.

Key to this will be accountability and then the oversight of delivery. As for the Cabinet committee reports, where and when will they be available? As for the senior officials group, who are they and will that information be available? As for the delivery and monitoring committee, who are they and when will the reports be available?

Funding of the Department is key, obviously, in the run-up to the budget deliberations.

More as a comment than anything else, we must remember, first and foremost, that we are human beings rather than human doings and that is where the strategy is so important. GDP, of course, and economics are very important, but it brings that focus back. If we design our systems and services for disabled people, we will provide outcomes for everybody in society and enrich it.

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