Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 7, subsection (1), between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following new paragraph subsection (1):

"(i) any private body which provides services and products to the public;".

The accessibility of public and private services provided to the public needs to be guaranteed in this legislation within the broadest possible definition, so that it includes the right to physical information, communications accessibility and genuine, reasonable accommodation. This should be given the highest priority and set within acceptable timeframes. All bodies, public or private, that come into contact with the public should be covered by the legislation. These points have also been made by the Disability Legislation Consultation Group.

As regards amendment No. 4, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions recommended the amendment of services to include services provided by or on behalf of a public body. As currently drafted, the exclusion could be as far reaching as to include State-sponsored bodies, voluntary bodies and even some disability service providers.