Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming to discuss this important issue and I thank Senator Clonan for tabling this Private Members' motion. As long as I have known the Minister, she has been very committed to people with disabilities. We see this in what she has done since she assumed the role of Minister for Social Protection, for example, by increasing payments and working with people.

I welcome that this is a discussion paper. We have to put something down on paper for it to be discussed. I work with many disability organisations and many of them intend to make a submission, which is healthy and good. It is about encouraging people to come forward and make their submission because nobody knows better than people with a disability what issues they see as challenging. I encourage all people with a disability and all disability organisations to get involved in the public consultation by making submissions. It is positive that the Minister is having this discussion as it shows she is reaching out to organisations and people.

I deal with one man who has progressive MS. For his own mental health, he would like to be able to do two or three hours a week of voluntary work. Some days, he can be very sick and may not get up in the daytime. Then on other days, perhaps two or three weeks later, he is much better and feels as if he could nearly run a marathon. I mean that in a nice way. He would love to be able to work and to volunteer to help organisations in which there are people with disabilities. He is a very intelligent, well qualified man with many interests. He wrote to the Department, which said he is still noted as not being able to work. Sometimes the response people get can be prohibitive. He was afraid he would lose his payment if he volunteered. Perhaps that is an area the Minister could look at. Some people feel they have a lot to give. This man knows he will never be able to work full time. There are many people in the position that they will never be able to work and they are grateful for the payment and different grants they get.

It is good we are having a discussion. It shows the Department is reaching out to people to listen to what their issues are. There will be a €400 disability support lump sum to be paid to people in receipt of long-term disability payment. All these payments add up. There are also other payments, such as the fuel allowance and the double Christmas bonus. Free travel was announced yesterday for people who are medically certified as being unable to drive. That applies to an awful lot of people with a disability and it falls under the scheme. The Minister made some welcome changes in budget 2024. I know quite a few people who cannot drive from my work with people with disabilities. I know one person who has epilepsy and another who is partially blind. They would not qualify to drive, so they are delighted these changes were made.

I thank the Minister for bringing this paper forward and holding a consultation. I hope all those with a disability or an interest in disability have their say. Without people making that input and getting involved in the consultation, we will not know how people feel.