Seanad debates

Wednesday, 22 June 2022

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

10:00 am

Photo of Jerry ButtimerJerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for his presence at the most enjoyable and celebratory Equali-TEA and coffee morning in the Members' dining room. I thank all involved in what is an important celebration of Pride month.

Yesterday, Senator Clonan made a powerful contribution on the Order of Business regarding the state of services for children with disabilities and the need for the State to look after them. I supported him in that regard.This morning, the Ombudsman for Children said the State is failing children with educational needs. Those of us who are involved in disability organisations and work with people such as Ciarán Delaney in the world of autism disability will recognise that there is a lacuna that we need to address.

Yesterday on the Order of Business I asked the Cathaoirleach to consider, in his innovative way, how the Upper House can play a role in a discussion on the formulation of and implementation of Government policy in respect of disability. I will formally write to the Cathaoirleach on the matter today but I wish to propose on the Order of Business that we, as a House, set aside a sitting day or days to discuss disability issues. We could take an approach similar to that of the Ceann Comhairle in bringing young people into the Lower House to discuss the very important and pressing matter of climate change. The Seanad Public Consultation Committee did something similar a couple of years ago. As a House, we should put together a series of meetings with organisations and people with disabilities across the whole spectrum so that we can have a strong debate to feed into a narrative to help the Ministers at the Departments of Health, Justice, Education and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to come up with a policy and policy implementations in respect of disability.

I know the House has no role in budgetary matters. I accept that. We in the Upper House have vocational panels and we are at our best when we speak about and represent people. We saw that with the intervention of the Cathaoirleach in the context of Congressman Richie Neal coming here. We saw it in the context of other matters dealt with by the Seanad Public Consultation Committee, which had to pause its work due to Covid. In light of the contribution of Senator Clonan yesterday, the work being done by Ciarán Delaney in Cork and elsewhere in Ireland and the contribution of the Ombudsman for Children this morning, I propose that the Seanad set aside time to hold hearings with organisations and people on disability matters.

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