Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I agree with the sentiments expressed by Senator Seery Kearney and others regarding the Minister of State's personal passion and commitment. There have been other Ministers who might be described as bluffing. Maybe they tried their best but certainly the work of the Minister of State and the way she approaches it is peppered with sincerity. If delivery does not happen it will not be for the want of trying. However, I am convinced delivery will happen. Universal access is needed throughout the country. We cannot have a situation where in Senator Seery Kearney's area people are not being looked after. They are not even getting their assessments, not to mention treatment. In CHO 3, which is my area, access is patchy. In some areas the system is improving, albeit from an extremely low base. In other areas, the system is very poor. As the Minister of State will be aware, early intervention is critical for young people. If they receive treatment at an early age, their chances of living a fulfilled life increase, a life where they will make a valued contribution to our society. Last week, I attended the launch of an employment strategy by the National Council for the Blind of Ireland, NCBI, by the Tánaiste, which highlighted that 75% of blind and visually impaired people in this country are unemployed. That is a shocking statistic. What is even more shocking is the wasted resources that the country badly needs, yet the opportunities are not there. That is extending as we move into 2022. Compared with how things were in 1982, a great many people are now waiting for assessments and treatment. If they were to get the assessments and treatments, imagine the contribution they would make to our society. They could be Oireachtas Members or be involved in business or the professions. We have a moral obligation to equip them to do what they should be able to do. This is the challenge of our generation. We need to step up to the plate. I hope this structure works and creates universal access regardless of where a person lives, be it in a rural or urban area or any part of Dublin, in order that he or she can access the supports, facilities and therapies to give him or her the best chance in life to make a contribution to society.