Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023 and the importance of this legislation regarding people with disabilities. I commend Senator Clonan on being the driving force behind this and I was happy to move this Bill into the House in its initial Stages. This Bill would create a legal requirement to provide all supports listed in an assessment of need. It is highly disappointing that Ireland is currently the only country in the European Union that has no legal requirement to provide all of the supports listed in an assessment of need.

This Bill was circulated to the Whips of all parties they refused to sign it. In the last debate in this House, the Government proposed an amendment to defer the Bill for 12 months. Senator McDowell then informed the House that the Government could decide not to appoint tellers. This led to the amendment being lost and the Bill passed Second Stage in the Seanad. Those are the facts of where why we are here today.