Results 2,301-2,320 of 10,939 for speaker:Anne Rabbitte

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (5 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: As this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Health Services Staff (5 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: The sustainability and stability of health and social care sectors are a concern for Government and we recognise the ability of voluntary organisations to pay their staff is highly dependent on state funding. I am therefore committed to resolving this issue. In July my Department and the Department of Health made a combined offer of a 5% pay funding increase to employer bodies. This is...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (5 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: Residential services make up the largest part of the Disability funding disbursed by the HSE – over 60% of the total budget – and approximately 90 service providers provide residential services to over 8,000 individuals throughout the country. The end of July 2023 position indicates that there were 8,330 residential places for people with a disability, delivered...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (5 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: As the query refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Health Services Staff (5 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: As this refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: I welcome the opportunity to meet with the Joint Committee on Disability Matters today. There is a complexity to the transport issues that I hear about because the transport needs of people with disabilities are as diverse as our disabled citizens themselves. From the results of Census 2022, we know that approximately one in five persons in Ireland reported living with some form of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: I thank the Cathaoirleach for letting me back in again. The Deputy started with day services and there is a huge issue there. It is not properly mapped or quantified and it is hit and miss. Going forward, we should start with the young people who need to avail of New Directions, our new day service school leavers programme for young people. It is something I am trying to get over the line...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: I will start with the last question first. In recent weeks I have met community groups because sometimes I look at local links. I have looked at local links outside in Leitrim, Carlow, and at what they are proposing in the caring side of things. I have also looked at and met - the Deputy mentioned the Lucan group -Accessible Community Transport Southside, ACTS, and there has been a meeting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: I thank the Deputy for his questions. I will start by saying that it is also bugging me that the issue of the mobility allowance has been going on for ten years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: Mr. O’Shea's earlier response was that we have come a long way in understanding disability and in understanding the broad breadth of disability. However, the fear is that the different schemes that have been thought up did not go far enough. That is where it is at. There is the fear that you could actually exclude people. Sometimes, when trying to find perfection, it comes at the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: Absolutely. I totally take that on board. I will discuss this with the Minister for Finance. The disabled drivers scheme sits completely with the Department of Finance. To be honest with the Deputy, at a time we want to promote a green agenda, we must include all aspects to ensure it happens.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: I thank the Deputy. I am already doing it. It was something I took on board two years ago when I came into the Department, when we building a lot of greenways and expanding the offerings. I felt it was wrong that we were not including people with disabilities and that we were not giving them that same opportunity to engage. We did this by understanding universal design. This includes...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: To be honest, there is no Department that does not have an open door to me and no Department that does not have a good listening ear. I often describe it as follows, however. When you go to your GP, do you want pillow talk or do you want to be cured? I would like the Departments to provide cures and to work with me. A listening ear is great, and empathy and understanding are fantastic,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: Absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: The mechanics.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: I will start with the last question. The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, has led the way in asking for the scoping exercise to be undertaken. He can give some evidence to the Taoiseach that will answer the sorts of questions the Senator asked. Clearly the NDA does phenomenal work and it says there is "foot dragging". What I have found is that when I have chaired certain reports or certain...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: I share Deputy Canney's frustrations but I also have to look at this, as he says, in the round. We are coming from a base where we finally know where the gaps are. We must connect and identify them. When we talk about transport, the NTA and the community and then one talks about the individual, unless there are systems in place and proper frameworks, giving people all the money in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: There would have been a time when I would have thought legislation would sort everything. I look at the assessment of needs, and I see around 18,500 children for year end. That is not solving anything. That is the unfortunate thing, and I have legislation there. That is the problem. Do I think the optional protocol is the right way to go? I do. It raises the bar. It means then that,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: I thank the Senator for all the points she covered. I could not agree more with her. There have been a few positive changes in the past three years. One positive change has been the formation of this committee. I know Deputy Canney has left. He might say it is frustrating, but I have seen a lot of very good work.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enhanced Transport and Mobility Support Options for People with Disabilities: Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (4 Oct 2023)

Anne Rabbitte: It has enabled the work that I am doing. It is about that added voice. I am not a lone ranger; I have a good strong committee behind me that is very focused on different elements. The committee is not siloed; it works under that very important broad umbrella of the UNCRPD and looks at issues through that lens at all times. That is of assistance not just to me and the Minister, Deputy...