Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

Each Minister should be imbued with this requirement. I am aware particular Ministers have been designated. Clearly these are the Ministers and Departments which would be mainly accessed by particular applicants. At the same time, this should not be confined to those Departments. Every Minister should be imbued with the idea that people with disabilities should be treated as equal citizens and none of them should have the option of saying it has nothing to do with him or her and that it is the responsibility of another Minister. Every Minister should be brainwashed about disability. I would drum it into every Minister because circumstances change. The Minister of State referred to the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, which is correct, given that people with disabilities want to go to the theatre, poetry readings and art exhibitions.

Senator Terry referred to our attitude but one cannot legislate for attitude, although I wish one could. One cannot get inside the head of every civil servant or Minister and tell them they should feel a certain way about disability. However, if it is made so pervasive that they cannot avoid it even if they wanted to, they will have to become part of the disability agenda. That is what the Minister of State is about but one cannot change attitudes. Civil servants are good on all these issues but, at the same time, they are used to viewing them one way whereas, following the enactment of the legislation, they will have to view them another way. It is difficult for everybody.

I commend very much the Minister of State's amendments, which follow the debate in the Dáil and consultation with disability interests. Every Minister should have his or her head knocked in about the issue.