Katherine Zappone (Independent)

I welcome the Taoiseach. Europe 2020 on a smart sustainable and inclusive European economy and society specifically calls for fresh thinking and social innovation as a way of revitalising our European social model. I would like the Taoiseach to consider two options during our Presidency that would mark a very visible contribution to renewing the European social model into the future, thereby complementing our economic leadership as outlined in his speech.

My first suggestion relates to disability. As the Taoiseach knows the EU in addition to its member states has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This is as unprecedented as it is welcome. It calls for concerted action at EU level as well as member state level over the coming years. One of the big problems in Europe today is the institutionalisation of people with disabilities, estimated at over 1.5 million. We have done much to begin the transition away from institutions into community living. The HSE commissioned a report on the living arrangements of those with disabilities entitled Time to Move On from Congregated Settings which has been lauded around the world.

Our Presidency will coincide with finalising the EU regulations for the next programming period of the EU Structural Funds. In the past these funds were often misused to construct new institutions, using our tax money across Europe. This must end. More importantly, innovative and positive ways have to be found to harness the Structural Funds to ease the process of transition to independent living and community engagement around Europe. I urge the Taoiseach and his colleagues to give consideration to a high level ministerial meeting on achieving community living through the appropriate use of Structural Funds. In doing so, Ireland would move a constructive agenda forward that will help achieve the goals of the UN disability treaty in Europe. There may even be an opportunity to learn about and build on the establishment of the US federal administration for community living by the Obama Administration as a way of harnessing federal resources to achieve community living for disabled and older people in the US.

My second suggestion is related but separate. The Europe 2020 strategy mentions grand social change happening in Europe. There can be no greater social change across Europe than the rapid ageing of our populations. We in this House held a series of hearings on this topic through the Seanad Public Consultation Committee. We know that Ministers are planning a positive ageing strategy for Ireland, which is welcome. We welcome the European Year of Active Ageing. There is a need to anchor these positive steps in something more tangible. The United Nations is currently considering a new treaty on the rights of older people. There has, as yet, been no open and inclusive European-level debate on whether this would be a positive step and how this process might be supported. I suggest an Irish Presidency event focusing on the added value of such an instrument. It could be that Ireland would set in motion an unstoppable process of positive reform at European level and around the world.