Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with previous speakers on the wording used when dealing with ongoing industrial relations disputes. There appears to be a media view that if a demand is made, the Government must be in a position to pay. There is no significant debate in the media on the fact that it is the taxpayer rather than the Government who must pay increased costs in the public service. We must be careful about how we report matters. Additional gardaí have been recruited and trained and the Government has made a commitment to recruit more. It should be noted that the Garda Training College in Templemore was closed by the Government in 2010-11. It has also given a commitment to recruit an additional 2,400 teachers. It is allocating funding for Garda and teacher recruitment. It is important to realise that it is taxpayers who are providing the additional moneys required to do so. Balanced debate is needed and we must set out clearly that a substantial increase in the cost of providing services requires an increase in taxation.

More than two years ago I raised the issue of access officers in local authorities. Each local authority is supposed to have an access officer. I find the interpretation of the role of access officer strange as it varies significantly from one local authority to another. Some view the role of access officer as one of ensuring access to public buildings for people with disabilities, while others view it as one of ensuring people with disabilities can access various services and meeting the requirement to adapt inadequate housing accommodation for people with disabilities. The relevant Minister must come to the House to set out clearly what is the role of access officers. If the legislation which requires local authorities to provide an access officer is inadequate, we must introduce amending legislation. We are falling down in this area and should stop passing the buck. The cost of addressing the problem would not be significant. The Minister must come to the House and local authorities must respond accordingly.