Results 261-280 of 1,013,319 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' speaker:Declan Breathnach

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Bríd Smith: What did you call me?

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Michael Ring: I am sorry. I called the Deputy by the Minister of State's name.

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Bríd Smith: In that case, I thank Bríd for her contribution. More seriously, the last point the Minister of State made about the optional protocol was very much Civil Service-speak. I refer to this being a matter of complexity, the need to progress the issue, have meetings and all the rest of it. How many years have disability campaigners, like those outside the gates now, been campaigning?...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Mick Barry: I wish to make some summing up remarks on the debate we have just had. Many of the contributions from the various Deputies centred on the issue of the Green Paper. It is clear that a wide variety of Deputies in this House are pleased about the fact that the Green Paper has been scrapped, thanks to the pressure the Government was put under by the disability campaigners first and foremost....

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Joan Collins: I am sharing time with Deputy Harkin. I thank People Before Profit-Solidarity for presenting this Private Members' motion to the Dáil. I welcome the news that the Government is planning to scrap the Green Paper on Disability Reform. The proposals were widely condemned by a broad coalition of disability, mental health and carers' groups. I am glad the Government has recognised, as...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Marian Harkin: I thank People Before Profit-Solidarity for introducing this motion. Regardless of who can claim the credit, and I know many different people have been lobbying on the matter, I am very pleased to see that the Green Paper on Disability Reform has been pulled, as it were. The Minister said it was just a consultation paper and while I accept her bona fides, I hope lessons will be learned from...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Violet-Anne Wynne: I thank People Before Profit-Solidarity for using its Private Members' slot this week for this very important motion. It is fantastic news that the Green Paper on Disability Reform has been scrapped. Disabled people in my constituency were horrified at the proposal to categorise disability in three tiers according to perceived ability or inability to work. I acknowledge and thank the Clare...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Mattie McGrath: I compliment the movers of this motion, Solidarity-People Before Profit. Last year, the Minister tried to introduce a British system, which has caused uproar, and we know why. The Green Paper tried to tackle related issues, including the cost of disability and the low employment rate among people with disabilities, with a single policy change and it has not worked. Everyone will know what...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Michael Collins: Our commitment to parents and compassion extends to everyone, regardless of their abilities. However, the proposed tiered payments based on perceived work capacity have significant flaws. They lack meaningful consultation with the disabled individuals who are the very people most affected by these policies. Without their input, we risk overlooking critical aspects of their needs and...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Michael Healy-Rae: I thank Solidarity-People Before Profit for bringing this important motion before the House. The Green Paper that came out caused great upset among not only individuals but also the organisations that represent people with different types of disability. It was going to lead to a very unfair situation whereby it would put an unfair disadvantage on people and put pressure on them if they had...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Richard O'Donoghue: I will make this issue real for many people. Two weeks ago, I was approached by a 78-year-old man who has a son with a disability. His son is living at home. They applied for a grant for an adaptation to their car but were refused. They came back with an appeal. The Department wanted the 78-year-old man to drive to Dublin for the appeal. We asked could the appeal be reconvened to...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Danny Healy-Rae: I thank People Before Profit for bringing forward this worthy motion. It is clear that people with disabilities are not being funded properly. I think of the €29 million that was wasted on the referendums and what it would do for people with disabilities. All of us like to have a place to go and something to do to make us relevant. I ask that we ensure that young people who...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Seán Canney: I compliment People Before Profit-Solidarity on tabling this very important motion for discussion today. I am a member of the Joint Committee on Disability Matters and, sadly, many of the issues the committee has heard about over the last three or four years remain current. Solutions are not being found. The Government could take a hand over many of the things that are happening and try to...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Holly Cairns: I thank Solidarity-People Before Profit for tabling the motion. I welcome the decision by the Government to scrap its Green Paper on disability reform. The proposals were highly insulting to disabled people and would have been a massive step backwards for disability rights. It should not have come as a surprise to the Government that there was such a strong backlash by disabled people,...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Paul Donnelly: I welcome the U-turn, flip-flop or withdrawal or whatever word the Minister wants to use with regard to this Green Paper. First and foremost, the biggest congratulations must go to the disability activists who, from the very start, feared the direction of this Green Paper. For me, it really brought up the old saying, "When England sneezes, Ireland catches a cold." With this, we can say...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Pat Buckley: I thank the Minister for being here today. I thank Solidarity-People Before Profit for tabling this motion. Much has been covered here. This is about disability justice and disability injustice. Many people have covered the options of trying to get work, proper living accommodation and public transport. There is a myriad of barriers after barriers. I have raised how bad the system is...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Mairead Farrell: I thank Solidarity-People Before Profit for tabling this motion. It is important that we recognise that the voices of people with disabilities were heard and that thanks to their activism, the Green Paper was scrapped by the Government. That was the right thing to do. It is essential that all disability policy is centred on a human rights-led approach and that people are listened to. I...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Duncan Smith: I thank Solidarity-People Before Profit for tabling this really welcome motion. The Government's decision to scrap the Green Paper on Disability Reform last week was the right thing to do but it should never have been presented in the first place. It took much too long to scrap it. Activists in this area deserve much praise for the pressure they exerted on the Government. The truth of the...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Pauline Tully: I, too, welcome the decision to scrap the Green Paper on Disability Reform. My colleagues in Sinn Féin and I had grave reservations about it and had called for it to be binned. As Sinn Féin spokesperson on disability, along with its spokesperson on social protection, Deputy Ó Laoghaire, I met a wide range of disabled people and representatives of disability organisations to...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Mark Ward: I want to use my limited time to speak about how children with disabilities are being failed by the Government. I acknowledge this is more related to the brief of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, than that of the Minister present, Deputy Humphreys. I will give the example of a young boy from my constituency, whom I will call John for the purpose of anonymity. John is 11 years old...