Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

That is not to say that this and previous Administrations have not spent money in this area — I acknowledge that has happened — but not enough has been spent. For example, last week and this week I have been dealing with a situation after a parent telephoned me to say she had been told by a residential school in my area, which her 21 year old son was attending, that he would have to leave and go home because his needs were such that the school could not afford to keep him. He needed a level of staffing and care which was to cost approximately €1.2 million per annum. The school said it could not afford to pay that unless the health board could fund it. The health board has come up with short-term funding but the mother finds herself asking if funding will be available beyond a three month period.

Having researched the matter, I am told a unit is required in the mid-west region for people with this person's particular needs, which are very high maintenance and demanding. Without that, the mother will be faced with telephoning people like me when the school tells her, as it must, that it cannot afford to keep her son or meet his needs. That is what I mean when I say that not enough is being spent. If in 2004, in a time of economic plenty, a parent is being told by a residential school that it cannot care for someone, we are failing in our duty. This is only one example of the many which I am sure I and every other Senator could give.

Everybody knows what a wonderful occasion and positive experience it was to host the Special Olympics last year. A very positive spin off was that those with disabilities, particularly intellectual disabilities, were given the recognition they so deserve. They were very visible in the community and their very special contribution was recognised. However, this did not translate into solid measures. It would have been entirely appropriate in 2003 for the Government to have brought forward legislation that would give recognition to the equal role to be played by people with disabilities. I look forward to the Minister's response on the reason for this delay. We simply do not know if there is a problem.

There is a great sense of disappointment and frustration at this delay. There is a perception that people with disabilities are not being treated equally and this is backed up by the statistics. One in ten or the 37 million people in the European Union, before the accession of the new member states on 1 May, has a disability. People with disabilities are workers, consumers, taxpayers, students, neighbours, friends and family members, but they are not treated equally.

A survey carried out throughout the European Union last year revealed a serious lack of understanding of the meaning of disability and also of the number of people affected. Most people would not realise that one in ten has a disability as the general perception is that the number of people with disabilities is quite low.

In order to be treated equally, people with disabilities need to have the power to speak for themselves and should not be viewed as objects of charity. They should not be excluded from society through poor education. The employment of people with disabilities is a major issue because without employment people cannot aspire to a better quality of life and face a life of dependency and, in many cases, poverty.

We have an opportunity to change that but we are lacking the commitment and will to do so. There are many fine schemes that support people with disabilities in sheltered employment and in the workforce. However, a young educated woman who is wheelchair bound outlined to me the level of prejudice and difficulty as well as the constant frustration she experienced in demanding her right to be treated equally. We pay lip service to it, but this well educated young woman in her twenties is experiencing severe difficulties in getting employment and the only reason she could see was that she had a physical disability. Of course, that is not new. As a community we must be vigilant in looking at our attitudes towards people with disabilities. Whereas the whole community rowed in behind the Special Olympics, we must be vigilant in maintaining a level of public awareness, which I think has slipped considerably since 2003. If people are not visible in the community, we can forget about them.

The families of those with disabilities struggle to get what is needed for the disabled person to play his or her role as a full citizen in society. The disabled have to spend time dealing with many institutions at different levels, leaving very little time to generate awareness of their needs. It takes time to ensure the needs of the disabled are met.

This issue was raised before in both Houses, but we feel it is time to raise it again. It is very important that the Government responds to those affected by disability and outlines where its priorities lie on this issue.