Colette Kelleher (Independent) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Civil Engagement group, I thank the Taoiseach for his remarks. I wish him a very happy St. Brigid's day. I am a Taoiseach's nominee and I was reflecting on the Taoiseach's words. I do my very best to bring my experience and knowledge to the service of the Oireachtas and the country as best I can in my role here.

The Taoiseach's words on the reform of the Seanad are extremely welcome. Every member of the Civil Engagement group supported the Seanad reform Bill almost two years ago, which addressed all of the reforms outlined by the Taoiseach. It would have been great to hear the Taoiseach was going to support the passing of the Bill but we are eager to engage in the ongoing process in whatever way will provide meaningful change. In particular, we would like to highlight the principles of one person one vote, which is a fundamental tenet of all modern democracies. We warmly welcome the acknowledgement that our citizens living overseas, and I lived overseas myself for 17 years, deserve the right to participate in the governance of our homeland. Even though people are miles away they still care deeply about what happens at home. We welcome this. The Civil Engagement group looks forward to engaging with the ongoing process and we will participate fully.

For me and countless campaigners over the previous 35 years, it was a watershed moment on Monday night when the Taoiseach announced his intention to hold, and campaign in favour of, a referendum to repeal the eighth amendment to the Constitution and to replace it with language empowering the Oireachtas to bring Ireland's abortion regime more in line with our European counterparts in the developed world. I commend the Taoiseach's decision and I look forward to campaigning alongside him to make repealing the eighth a reality.

I also welcome the decision made to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. People with disabilities, their families and carers have been waiting a very long time for this. That community has heard many empty promises and actions. We cannot and must not let them down this time.We need the Taoiseach to be the owner and driver of this work of emancipation and to integrate the actions of all Departments to make the promises of the convention a reality. The Action Plan on Jobs is an example of policy that was driven relentlessly from the centre of Government. It worked and this too will work if we work if we use the same approach. Will the Taoiseach give his commitment today to people with disabilities all over Ireland that he will drive this forward?

The Taoiseach often refers to building a republic of opportunity. This is a laudable goal but we are very long away from achieving it. We in the Civil Engagement group work extremely closely with civil society groups which tell us loudly and clearly that the Republic in which we live is not one where there is equal opportunity for all. It is a strange republic where it is radical to say that someone earning the average wage should be able to afford a home or even more radical to suggest that everyone should have a right to a home. It is a strange republic where more people have nowhere to call home than live in the entire town of Youghal and more children are homeless than everyone living in Bantry. It is a strange republic where people most in need of health care are the least likely to have it and where 1,200 young people with disabilities are living in nursing homes because the supports they need to allow them to remain at home and in the community are not in place.

A true republic of opportunity is one where the needs of civil society are embedded in policy making, where people experiencing the challenges themselves, and those working for them, are truly listened to. The programme for Government sets the goal of formal co-operation with people who make up civil society from every walk of life. I urge the Taoiseach to make good that commitment today and to make it happen.

We in the Civil Engagement group also hope to see a republic of opportunity some day but I am afraid of empty words. The Taoiseach's predecessor, Deputy Enda Kenny, took the bold decision to recognise Traveller ethnicity. That community is still waiting to see the real impact of that change. We learned recently that more than €4 million earmarked for Traveller accommodation was returned unspent while a tragedy and a crisis with respect to the provision of Traveller accommodation has been going on for years. Shockingly, only 167 Travellers have ever gone to university or third level. That needs to change. What are the Taoiseach's plans to ensure Travellers get the health care, housing and education they are entitled to as citizens to be fully part of our republic of opportunity like everyone else?

The Government has agreed to allow asylum seekers the right to work but only after its hand was forced by the courts and, it would seem, only in the most restrictive way. Again, they have been fine words but we await real action. I also urge the Taoiseach to make a real commitment to end the national disgrace of direct provision sooner rather than later. Living in Cork, I pass Glenvera Hotel on the Wellington Road and it makes it me ashamed every time I do. We also have ongoing and encouraging support in this House for the right to family reunification for refugees and support from all sides but Government. I hope the Taoiseach will reconsider this position with a more humane and generous approach to family reunification.

The Government has made many fine statements about support and protections for older people. To pick just one, research shows that people with dementia have a better quality and length of life and more comfort when cared for at home but in Ireland today, unlike many other countries across Europe, we do not have an infrastructure of home care. It is not resourced adequately, people have no entitlement to it as an alternative to costly residential care and, even more worryingly, it is not regulated. When will we have real action on home care, not just endless consultations and reviews? Can we look forward to timely progress of adult safeguarding for people experiencing real harm and abuse?

The vital Public Health (Alcohol) Bill was initiated by the Taoiseach when he was Minister for Health, and he is to be commended on that.