Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)

I think we all welcome the publication of the Government's new strategy for disabled people. We have heard words such as "aspirational" and "potential", but I am concerned that without any meaningful targets, this is not going to address the severe crisis the sector is in. We need to be honest in this discussion that disabled people in Ireland are living in crisis and have heard fine words before. To be frank, our record on disability rights and implementing the UN convention is one of delay and denial.

This strategy will mean little unless it delivers real change for people's lives and we prioritise it. For example, disability rights organisations said that, as a consequence of the budget a few weeks ago, people living with disabilities will be €1,400 worse off a year. I question how we can have that figure and then say we have this commitment to people with disabilities.

Every child and adult should have equal access to learning and training, regardless of their needs or postcode. The barriers that force families to fight for supports are a failure of policy, not of individuals. It is a systemic failure in our policy. In employment, disabled people continue to face systemic exclusion on an all-island basis. We need binding targets, accessible workplaces and employers who are supported and expected to lead on inclusion.

Independent living must become a reality, supported by proper investment in personal assistance, housing and community supports. We all know that participation in society should not depend on whether a person can navigate inaccessible systems or transport, but that is currently not the case. Currently, participation in society is not equal. Well-being and health must shift from a model of gatekeeping to one of dignity and equality, where disabled people have agency and are not forced to go through bureaucracy and red tape. For this strategy to succeed, power must move from this idea of consultation to actual co-design. I do not believe we are at an effective point of co-design in this country. Disabled people are not really co-designing the policies that affect their lives. Anything less than these things would be another broken promise from the Government.

The strategy does not include any commitment on the rights of children with additional needs for assessment of need. It does not have any staffing targets. I recognise that the action plan is due three months after the strategy, but we need this action plan to include benchmarks, timeframes and funding commitments. Otherwise, it is a nice document that has no substance. We cannot do this again to people living with disabilities in Ireland, where we promise the world and deliver very little.