Pat Moylan (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to the House. His brother, Deputy Conor Lenihan, has also been here, as has the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, who was here all day yesterday, and the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power. The Government has shown total commitment to the Bill. Those with disabilities are very important to our society and every effort must be made to improve their position. Affording people with disabilities the opportunity to have care assistants in recent years has allowed them to get out and about and live life to the full. They used to be very much confined and having care assistants has made a significant difference.

Many of us associate disabled people with those who are wheelchair bound. As a former local authority member, many developments have taken place at local authority and Government level for such people. Much has been done and much more can be done. Improvements have been made with footpaths and ramps. Building regulations have been introduced and are being complied with. While some of our older public buildings left much to be desired, we are coming onside with those and improvements are taking place, as they are being developed and modernised. The provision of lifts in such buildings has afforded those in wheelchairs the opportunity to look after whatever business they need to do in those public buildings.

I welcome the developments in sports grounds funded from the national lottery, which have always included access for people with disabilities. Many of those people who in the past depended on the radio or television can now attend and participate in the enjoyment of the games. Part 3 of the Bill addresses access to buildings. Improvements have been made with disabled persons grants, for which local authorities have responsibility. In some cases Government made available grant aid of up to 75%. In many cases local authorities did not allocate the 25% to allow them to provide many more extensions and house improvements for people with disabilities. We have all seen the great improvements to the quality of life of disabled people when a simple extension or a lift was provided. Some of them were able to access the top of their houses having been confined downstairs for so many years. Some other small but important improvements made in recent years include disabled car-parking places in car parks and adjacent to public buildings, churches etc. Unfortunately, some people who should know better park in those places leaving disabled people having to travel long distances.

Given the number of disability groups that contacted us regarding the Bill, it was very hard to keep abreast of their demands. Perhaps the interests of all the groups could have been addressed by a regional group and work remains to be done by the disability groups in this regard.

The Bill confers social rights including the right to an independent assessment of need; the right to a service statement, the content of which will have regard to resource availability, eligibility and other factors; and a right of redress and enforcement — the Bill provides an easily accessible statute-based means of redress regarding assessment and services. From talking to some of the disability groups in my region one would feel that nothing had ever been done by Government for those with disabilities. However, much has been done. The Government recognises in the Bill that much more remains to be done and is setting out to do that now. I hope the planned work will take place in the short term. We recently met the chief executive officer of the DFI, who agreed that not everything could happen overnight. The Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats An Action Plan for the Millennium stated: "We are committed to ensuring that disability is placed where it belongs, on the agenda of every Government Department and public body." This Bill implements that commitment.

Some people, particularly the blind, can have difficulty walking through our towns, as people with no regard for them park on footpaths and leave material on footpaths that should not be there. Do they not realise the inconvenience and difficulties they are creating? Local authorities need to do more for blind people regardingpedestrian crossings.

Local authorities and their members could do a fair amount for people with disabilities at very little cost to the taxpayer or their incomes. We recognise that any new Bill or development costs money, which does not grow on trees. Having travelled through other countries, I would say that we are no better and no worse. That said, I still feel that we have a responsibility to be at the forefront of attending to the interests of people with disabilities. I also recognise last year's budget commitment, when the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, said that, from 2006, there would be multi-annual funding that would make a real difference. I welcome that and also the commitment by Departments to reach a minimum target of 3% in terms of employing people with disabilities. I hope it has already been reached and surpassed, but private sector employers should also ensure that the numbers of disabled people whom they employ also promote opportunity. I hope that will happen.

I thank the Minister and welcome the Bill. I look forward to further debate on Committee Stage over the next few weeks.