John Dolan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to thank all contributors. I am embarrassed by the compliments they paid me. I think it is simply my work and my duty to do this - no more, no less - but I am appreciative and I thank people.

I will miss Senator O'Sullivan greatly. She has been a tonic to us all. We have spoken about disability in the European Parliament at the interparliamentary group and so on. I gave credit to Rosa Luxemburg when I meant to Rosa Parks. I apologise to both.

The Minister of State said that he supports "the aim of the proposed legislation, which is to facilitate the inclusion and full participation of people with disabilities and their families and friends and their communities by enabling better access to public spaces". Sin tosach maith. However, I thought and felt that as he went on, the water got colder and I had a sense - and we will test this out - that it was a case of live horse and one will get grass when he said, "We must check this out, we must check that out," and that there would be a significant cost on the Exchequer. That is okay because he should show us the colour of the money and what that cost is. If he is able to say to the House that there will be a significant cost, he should tell us to the nearest billion euro or whatever it will be.

He also stated, "The Government is not opposing the Senator’s Bill, there are issues with it which I will now address. As it should involve quite considerable Exchequer funding," but what is that cost, where will it be? He referred to a money message but I never heard of that before in relation to anything going through this House.