Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased and honoured to second this motion. I welcome Mr. John Dolan and other members of the Centre for Independent Living who are here for this debate. I agree with Senator Bacik on the need to put the personal assistance service on a statutory framework. Speaking to those involved, it was reiterated to me that we need certainty and greater clarity in this area. A personal assistance service in its simplest form ensures that those with disabilities are able to actively and fully engage in society. The full definition of such a service needs statutory protection and would make clear the difference between a personal assistant and home-help hours.

Many of us do not fully grasp the exclusion and everyday difficulties that arise for people with physical or sensory disabilities. Going to the cinema, the shop, or as many Members know from organising trips to Leinster House, can be a nightmare for a person with a disability. I commend the ushers in the Houses of the Oireachtas for the support they give people with limited mobility or a disability when they visit the Houses. It is an attention above and beyond the call of duty that they provide every day. Last week, I met someone in a wheelchair coming into the Houses but there was a problem with the lifts. What should have been a simple journey to speak to a Member turned into the greatest nightmare for this person. The everyday tasks we find so simple can be a barrier for a person with limited mobility to leading a full and inclusive life in society.

While Ireland has not yet ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, I believe there is cross-party agreement on Article 19 that provides that states should recognise the equal rights of all persons with disabilities to live in the community with choices equal to others and shall take effective and appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities of this right and their full inclusion and participation in the community.

We have all spoken about this idea and paid lip service to it. We have laid documents and reports before the nation but we need to do more and provide more tangible and concrete paths to inclusion. We need to strengthen the person assistance service so that those with a physical or sensory disability are no longer at a disadvantage. I believe the rest of society is missing out because of the conscious or unconscious barriers placed before people with a disability.

This Private Members' motion calls on the Government to support a person centred support model for a personal assistance service that would allow for independent living and full engagement in society. That seems simple. The overall funding for the disability services programme in 2014 is €1.4 billion with the HSE providing a range of assisted living services, including personal assistance services. The Disability Federation of Ireland published a report on the personal assistance services provided in Ireland in February 2014. The report identified a lack of understanding of the special role and the purpose of the service, with new entrants having less control over its delivery. The authors of the report stated that by refocusing on independent living for the user, the service would better progress our own policies in Government. This service should not just be about meeting the personal care needs of the individual. Independent living was the original focus and should remain the focus today.

It is well established at this stage that by proving empowerment by the personal assistance service, the mental and physical health of the user, the leader, would be enhanced. This could lead to less care being needed in the future while also removing many people from residential or assisted living situations, where possible. In the document the Disability Federation of Ireland has provided a very apt quotations from a man, which states: "I would rather fight to the death, if I had to for my freedom, the personal assistance service has ensured my freedom. If I did not have the personal assistance service I would be in bed with bedsores in one room with very few possessions". One can imagine the mental and physical toll that would have. He finished by saying, "Life would not be worth living". Senator Bacik referred to the number of e-mails we have received on this subject. It is great to see the number of people who take an interest in the debates in the Seanad and want to play their part. I am delighted that we in this Chamber have the opportunity to be the voice for people who have put forward their views on this subject. The very caring Minister of State listens to the people whom she meets.

The allocation of €1.4 billions to this section of the health service seems a great deal of money. It is a great deal of money but my argument, which I have made previously, is that disability is not just an issue for the Department of Health. I have made the case that those with disabilities who participate in sport come under the remit of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Services for the disabled also come under the Departments of Education and Skills, Environment, Community and Local Government as well as other Departments. Intellectual, physical and sensory disabilities should be addressed by every Department.