Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response and his kind offer to assist in this matter. I am trying to make a more general point about citizens with disabilities. Equality does not mean treating people the same. It means treating people differently recognising and celebrating difference. We cannot treat disabled citizens in the same way we would treat other citizens who are able-bodied and who do not face the same obstacles. We must recognise the deficits in the disability allowance and the current supports. Extra supports need to be put in place.

We have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons of Disabilities and that ratification should be used to able-proof all of our legislation and supports from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for people in the workplace. However, we need to scaffold and support our citizens with disabilities in a radically different way than we have thus far. I appreciate the Minister of State's comments and have utmost good faith in his goodwill with regard to these issues.