Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

My amendment No. 9 provides that the Minister shall:

(a) carry out a review of this Act, in particular the definition of disability, within a maximum period of 2 years of operation or 3 years of enactment, whichever is the soonest.

(b) for the purpose of assisting him or her in making such a review under this section, consult any such organisations or representatives as he or she considers appropriate,

(c) where a review is carried out under paragraph (a) cause a copy of the review to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas and the changes proposed in the review shall not be made until a resolution approving the changes has been passed by each House.

A review of the legislation should be undertaken within a period of less than five years. The Minister of State's amendment is too broad. I am seeking accountability because of the amount of debate that has taken place over a number of months and in the Dáil recently on the definition of "disability". We want to ensure the legislation will benefit the people for whom it is intended and that the definition will not exclude anyone.

The Minister of State said that nobody will be excluded by the definition provided under the legislation. However, it is important to review the matter to ensure it is working properly and that no one is excluded. The five year timeframe should be shortened. We should consult with all the groups and organisations to ensure the legislation will deliver what people want and need.