Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It must comply with it. There is only one national pay policy. The HSE cannot make it up as it goes along.

Senator Dolan raised the issue of disability. As he is aware, the Government is committed to the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Before the State can ratify the convention, a number of pieces of legislation must be enacted and amended. In 2015, the Government published a roadmap signposting the direction we are taking in respect of the legislative measures that need to be met. I refer to the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act and the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. It is also important to consider that the Government has appointed Professor Ruane to examine the issue of the employment of people with disabilities. It is equally important that Deputy Finian McGrath sits at the Cabinet table as the Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities. This is a priority. The forthcoming budget is the Government's second budget, not its third. At least, I hope I have not missed one.