Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I do not doubt for one moment his commitment, but the reality, on which I want to be clear, is that there were great expectations for him on entering the Department. He had had an enormously long track record in the disability sector, but there was great disappointment. He says he is frustrated. I spent the past two weeks visiting a number of people who have been really wonderful advocates for the disabled. My final conversations culminated in a meeting with a councillor, Councillor Miriam Murphy, in Arklow last Thursday with a colleague of hers, an advocate in the disability sector in Arklow. We laughed, cried and shared so many stories. They, among many others, touched on a range of issues, including housing, planning, access to services, the provision of social supports and the lack of access officers in some of the 31 local authorities, and generally felt things were not moving. I share their view which I can pick up from the Minister of State who said he was frustrated. He is the Minister of State and frustrated, but the people to whom I am referring are absolutely frustrated.

It is a great shame that we have not ratified the UNCRPD. I believe this is the only country that has not done so and the Minister of State did not state once that it would be ratified. He said he was endeavouring to achieve it and that there were targets, but we have no deadlines or timeframes. Earlier today I spoke to a number of my colleagues about the lack of legislation coming from the Lower House to the Seanad. There will be huge gaps in the legislative process in this House between now and Christmas. Therefore, we have time in both Houses to have meaningful dialogue and legislation. When one speaks to people with disabilities and learns that they do not feel empowered and believe they have no control over their lives, one has to wonder what the Government is doing.

I commend an article which appeared in The Irish Timesyesterday. It referred to two people with disabilities who had spoken at a conference about the right to life, the right to respect for them, the right to be consulted on their sexuality, sexual practices and sexual orientation, their right to remain in congregated settings, if they so wished, despite Government policy stating they must all be got out of such settings. It is about choices and rights, not about what someone sets out in a strategy entitled the national disability inclusion strategy. I welcome the strategy and want to be positive as it is good, but I am making the point that there are unique aspects to choice and people believe they do not have a say and power.

Let me draw the attention of the House to some details. Some 1,200 young people, clearly under the age of 65 years, are permanently living in nursing homes because community supports are not provided. That is an indictment of the system. There are people who are waiting for access to social housing who cannot get it. There are local authorities stating they do not have adequately designed social housing to meet the needs of people with disabilities. Legislation needs to address the planning process for designed for purpose fit-outs for people with disabilities. There are those who cannot find meaningful employment without being penalised. There are those who do not have full-time personal assistants but who absolutely need them. That is really important.

I should have said at the outset that for many years I was a director of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. There was a pilot scheme for people who were blind, children who had no eyes in their sockets and were given two hours of home schooling per week. That is the reality. I appeal to the Minister of State to examine specifically the pilot scheme in Munster operated by Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind on behalf of the health service to determine how we can beef it up to fulfil our obligations to children to enable them to realise their full potential. They need that support and assistance.

When a Minister says to me on a corridor that there is no problem and asks to be sent a name and address and that he or she will sort it out - I am not referring to the Minister of State - I am not really interested in any of that. I am interested in setting the foundations of a policy that will stand the test of time way beyond the term of office of the incumbent Ministers and Senators. I am referring to real policy. I do not want to be negative but to acknowledge absolutely the work taking place, but it is not happening fast enough. I am echoing the words of the Minister of State, not mine, this very day in this very Chamber. He told us he was frustrated by the lack of progress in ratification. They are his words and he can play them back and listen to them later. I share that frustration and can understand why the Minister of State expressed that view.

Issues arise about the reinstatement of the mobility and transport benefits. I have talked about personal assistants. We need to prioritise access to social and affordable housing. The living alone allowance needs to be addressed to offset costs associated with meeting disability needs. There needs to be a sizeable ramping up of resources for education and training. The number of people with disabilities living in poverty and isolation who do not have access to supports to have a meaningful and full life in their community is noteworthy. They do not have the opportunity to be fully authentic, to be empowered to be themselves and to play their role in their community rather than in some institution. They should be able to commute, live and work and enjoy and gain access to all services in their community, including sports, the arts, public services and facilities. That is what is meant by real inclusion.

The Government has a strategy, which is important, and the work to meet many of the objectives is ongoing, but the timeframe for delivery is not tight enough. I am quoting the Minster of State and note that he is throwing his head up a bit. However, the reference is to "ongoing". I have the timeframes in front of me. If the Minister of State can contradict me and tell me something else, so be it, but I am just telling him what has been clearly documented. I do not wish to say anything simply because it is coming into my head but because I took the time to meet and engage with advocates in the disability sector, those who are suffering with disabilities and those who are frustrated at the lack of progress and want change and action.It is time the Government made this issue a priority. What people want is the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to be implemented and a timeframe for its implementation. They do not want more excuses. If there are financial and legal implications in adopting it, as there must be and which I can understand, the Minister of State should tell us because I believe that is the real story. What are the legal, financial and political implications in ratifying the convention? If that is what is delaying its implementation, we need to hear it. I thank the Minister of State for his great work on the issue. I do not want to be patronising in saying he is committed to dealing with it, but I want to acknowledge the fact.