Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I move amendment No. 24:

In page 29, to delete lines 40 to 43 and in page 30, to delete lines 1 to 5 and substitute the following:

"31.—(1) Each Minister of the Government,".

This amendment requires that all Ministers prepare sectoral plans. At present only six Ministers are required to do so. Why should not every Minister prepare such a plan? The idea is that there should be mainstreaming of disability issues throughout every Department. Even the preparation of sectoral plans does not go far enough. At the very least every Department should have to prepare such a plan.

The ultimate aim of Departments should be to include people with disabilities from the outset and every penny of Government expenditure should be inclusive so that disability is not an add-on. One way to do that is to ensure different Departments have comprehensive disability proofing. While a sectoral plan is a step in the right direction, it does not go as far as the disability groups would wish, particularly those who have withdrawn from the DLCG but also those groups still within that process are not happy. The sectoral plan requirements are vague and do not go far enough. The disability groups feel strongly that every Department should have to prepare such a plan.