Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after ''Seanad Éireann'' and substitute the following:

''welcomes the announcement that a new National Advocacy Service for people with disabilities is to be set up to provide independent, representative advocacy services for people with disabilities from January 2011;

condemns the Government for:

— the delay in introducing the Personal Advocacy Service, which was originally promised for 2008, under the Citizens Information Act 2007;

— abandoning the National Disability Strategy, with very little of the strategy announced in 2004 realised;

— the deferral of the implementation of the EPSEN Act 2004 and the failure to publish a costed multiannual plan for its implementation;

— abandoning the National Carers Strategy which was originally promised by the end of 2007 and abandoned by the Government in March 2009;

— long waiting list for services such as speech therapy, OT, psychology and other services;

— failing to put the National Standards for the inspection of disability residential services, published by HIQA in May 2009, on a statutory footing;

— slashing budgets to voluntary organisations providing vital services for people with disabilities under the guise of 'efficiency savings' and HSE cost saving measures; and

calls on the Government to prioritise the interests of people with disabilities and to publish their priorities for the implementation of the National Disability Strategy.''.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. In moving this amendment I say, with a touch of irony, that the Government is establishing a national advocacy service for people with disabilities when, under all current legislation, it has failed to recognise the basic rights and entitlements of people with a disability. While this new national advocacy service will provide independent and representative advocacy for people with a disability, it will have few, if any, statutory powers with regard to resource allocation, effecting change at governmental policy level or at the implementation of policy at the Health Service Executive level.

I listened to Senator Corrigan's contribution and noted her words but again we see Government attempting to introduce measures for the most vulnerable and marginalised in society on the cheap. That is the reality. I say that as somebody who comes to this debate with a strong family involvement in disability organisations and who is personally involved as a member.

The fundamental task for all of us is to uphold the rights of all of our citizens but for value for money purposes this new service will be unfurled in 2011 under current resources. It means there will be little to go around. The Federation of Voluntary Bodies talks about the rights of adults with disability and families with children to direct their own supports and have access to resources to run their own lives. It is disappointing, when we talk about equal citizenship and the task force in 2007, that we have lost sight of the needs of a group in our society. If we look at the history, this was first promised in 2004 under the Comhairle Act and subsequently under the Citizens Information Act 2007. We were told it would be delivered in 2008 but we must now wait until 2011.

It is important we would welcome the eventual roll-out of the service as it will offer freedom and choice to people with disabilities. There are almost 400,000 people with disabilities in Ireland, 24% of whom are unable to carry out everyday activities and are dependent on full-time care. There is a large young population with intellectual disability, and it is important to stress that such people are living longer and, therefore, demands are increasing on organisations and families while resources are limited.

We have neglected the most important sectors of our society. The Irish saying, duine le Dia, is a great one. At a time of boom, we did not eliminate the barriers which existed. It is important we allow people with disabilities to access services and allow them to have understanding, proper resources, enhanced public transport, information and knowledge, many of which have not been addressed properly by Government over the years. Will be addressed in a meaningful way by the establishment of this service?

If we are so committed, why do we need a national advocacy service in the first place? I am sure the Minister in his reply will refer to the substantial investment by Government in the resourcing of different issues and areas of service. There has been a denial of rights and entitlements over the years by Government. We have not explained and communicated in proper language what people are entitled to. Many of our schemes are very bureaucratic and people are intimidated and afraid. Regardless of whether we like it, that is the reality. We have not listened to people when they have spoken up and been a voice. We have forced people to go to court to get their basic rights and entitlements.

In 2008, Deirdre Carroll of Inclusion Ireland said, "it is a great disappointment that the Government has decided to cut back the public advocacy service", this at a time when we had boom and bloom. She continued: "It is a pity that one of Minister Hanafin's first acts in her new Ministerial role was to cut a vital service for people with a disability."

It is about trust. The Government has failed people with disabilities. There are many issues we must address in terms of the models of service delivery in the context of mainstreaming, professionalism, specialisation, models of service, partnership and best practice innovation. Is the current proposal too broad? We have a crisis of massive proportions in the disability sector. The Minister should listen to the groups we meet regularly, the parents and carers who are present today and the Disability Federation of Ireland, which will be in the Houses tomorrow. There are a plethora of issues regarding whether there are enough training places for vocational post-leaving certificate students. The students and their parents will argue there are not. Service placement does not seem to be evolving in a meaningful way and there is a constant battle to get residential places for respite care.

Parents are asked to go to the nth degree for their loved ones - their sons, daughters and family members - yet we are putting barriers in their way. I know of a woman in her 70s whose husband is over 20 stone but she got nothing from the State by way of home help or care except a commode. All Members could tell stories of people who have been left behind and neglected. If we are advocating independent living, let us have real independent living provision, supports and structures in place. Let us have a proper home care package of which people can avail. Let us examine the issue of dental provision for people with disability, for example, in Cork, where people are unable to access dental care under anaesthetic. Let us deal with the waiting lists for LTOT and psychology services.

We have many vibrant people with disabilities who want to live an independent life. They do not want to be condemned to a life of handicap but want to live a full, open, active and equal life of citizenship. We as a State are not letting them do so. We are reducing budgets. It should not be all about money. It must be about people and about doing our best for those who need us the most - the marginalised and the vulnerable. I remind the Minister and his colleagues that it was their slogan in 1987 that cutbacks hurt the old, the poor and the handicapped. It is ironic that today, in 2010, we are back to that again. We seem to have learned nothing.