Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like my colleagues, I welcome the Minister of State back to the House and congratulate him on the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It is a significant step forward in establishing the rights of people with disabilities.

I will start where Senator Boyhan concluded and acknowledge the backroom staff of Deputy Finian McGrath, in particular Gerry Maguire and Damien O'Farrell, who have done great work in terms of bedding down what is a relatively new Ministry. We have not previously had a Minister at the Cabinet table with specific responsibility for disabilities. When Deputy Finian McGrath took up his position in 2016, there was high expectation that he would deliver quickly. Unfortunately, as with everything in life, big bodies move very slowly. It can be very technical and challenging. One could have the best heart in the world to get something done in a particular timeline but when one actually undertakes it one can discover complications, challenges and difficulties that might not have been anticipated. Anybody who has ever carried out a house extension or renovation will have discovered on commencing it that much more was required to get the product right than would have initially been tendered. I see that very much in the case of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. There were probably many technical issues that had to be ironed out. To get it over the line within less than 24 months of taking over that portfolio, given the fact that the process had been going on for so many years prior to that, is a significant achievement.

I see the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a mission statement, to a large extent. It is a very important one. Our country is saying that it will do what other United Nations countries are doing. Senator Swanick referred to Senator Dolan having a cup of tea and a biscuit with his wife and daughter to celebrate the ratification and the Minister jokingly asked where the champagne was. The champagne will be drunk when there are plenty of employment opportunities for people with disabilities, no problem with housing for people with disabilities, when they have no problems with access to services and when we can truly say in 2028, the date mentioned by the Minister, that this is a country that respects every one of its citizens equally.

I tend to look at the glass as being half full, although I certainly see that there is another half to go. Throughout my personal journey with disability, I have always tried to be positive and to advocate in a positive manner. I believe that works well. My good friend and colleague, Senator Dolan, does the same. Consider what this House has achieved with Senator Mark Daly's Bill on Irish Sign Language and the advocacy that is carried out by Members such as Senators Dolan and Mark Daly. We play a role in reminding the Minister that there is a significant amount of work to be done. We are getting there. We are all using our personal experiences to give leadership and to cajole and push.

I am clearly on the record in the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party as stating that I would prefer to see no tax cuts in the forthcoming budgets until such time as we get the key priorities right. These include having proper housing, not just for people with disabilities but for society in general, dealing with the hospital issues and until we have gone a long way to ensuring there is equality of opportunity and services. As a people we should not be looking for tax cuts. We should seek to leave the current taxes in place and if there is an increase in the budgets it should be diverted to areas where we now have a responsibility, given that we have ratified this UN convention. It will take hundreds of millions of euro to backfill the damage that was done to the disability sector as a result of the recession and the lack of investment prior to that. The Minister of State has my full support in terms of what I can do in my political party to push for the type of increased funding we need in the budget.

The mission statement is there. It is very welcome and we are all delighted. However, a mission statement is like the introduction in a book. We need to see the chapters. We must have proper employment. Increasing the 3% to 6% is a doubling of the target, but we should aim for 10% because 10% of the population have a disability. Some 10% of the workforce in the public service should be people with declared disabilities. That probably will not happen for a while but we should aspire to it. The task force on individualised budgeting established by the Minister of State is important. Many people have spoken about it. I honestly cannot say what is the best model to work from or to aspire to have but the task force can do that. I sincerely hope it will report within a reasonable period.

In conclusion, I was pleased to be asked by the Leader of the House to take the Order of Business on behalf of the Government on the day after the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was ratified. It was a recognition of me and my story, and the fact that there are other Members of the House who have their own stories, that it was appropriate for me to lead on behalf of the Government on that day.I hope that is the first of many instances of leading for the Government in different capacities. The Minister of State is doing a good job. It is not an easy job because the expectations are enormous but he has a great opportunity to make history in this country. He is going about it the right way but there is still a lot of work to be done.