Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

Nobody who watched the performance at Croke Park on Saturday night when the Special Olympics World Summer Games were opened could have failed to have been impressed by the huge level of goodwill and sense of celebration of people with disabilities. This is also true of those who participated in or observed the torch runs in towns throughout Ireland last week. The goodwill and positive feeling in relation to those who have come to visit us from around the world are huge. It is notable that the role of people with disabilities and their sense of difference are being properly and rightly celebrated, probably for the first time in our history.

Is it not ironic that, at the same time, disability groups throughout the country are discovering, as a result of cuts in community employment schemes and a narrow attitude on the part of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment regarding the operation of such schemes, that services for people with disabilities will be closed down in the coming weeks and months. This is an extraordinary situation. In the interim, the Oireachtas is still awaiting the introduction of a rights-based disability Bill. This is more than ironic; it is nothing short of a disgrace.

The outcome of the discussions at a European level in regard to the Fischler proposals on agricultural reform are still awaited. Even though it is not known when the talks will conclude, I request that the Leader ensure, in so far as is possible, that time will be set aside for the House to debate the outcome of the discussions, which are the cause of a great deal of concern.

I support the call by Senator Brian Hayes for a debate on the report of the National Economic and Social Forum to mark how far we have come on equality issues but also to outline how much remains to be done on that front.