Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail)
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The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, is very welcome to the Seanad. I am looking for an update on the work and actions of the transport working group under the national disability inclusion strategy. How is the group working? How is the Minister of State bringing together all the relevant Departments and stakeholders in order to make real changes, including making disability proofing of transport policy the default rather than the afterthought?

I congratulate the Minister of State on her absolute and complete bias towards equitable policies and the way in which she has fought for people with disabilities. I am determined, as is the Minister of State, to do everything possible to address those challenges and to break down all barriers to independent living and equal participation in society. The Minister of State is aware of the inequitable access to transport for thousands of people with disabilities across the country and she knows the detrimental effect that has on those individuals. It means a lack of independence, isolation and an inability to take part in community activities. The lack of transport has an affect on those people's educational and employment opportunities, and their ability to go out and socialise with their friends and families. It makes me furious to think that because I am able-bodied, I automatically have a easier path through life. That makes me upset. The Minister of State and I have spoken about how hard it is and how upset it makes us that people are barred from doing the normal things we take for granted. Fianna Fáil has always worked to create a fairer and more equal society. I look forward to hearing the Minister of State's update. The working group has the tired and exhausted hopes of thousands of individuals, families and communities resting in its work.

I was happy that on 26 January, the Minister of State attended the working group session to examine the accessibility of transport for people with disabilities, including the priority review of the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme. As she has highlighted, there are significant and immediate issues with the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme. There needs to be a focus on those issues and they need to be remedied with haste. The lack of a proper scheme, as the Minister of State knows, is causing unnecessary hurt, physical, mental and financial pain to many families. The Minister of State has also highlighted the problems with the primary medical certificate, as have many Members of this House and the Lower House. An applicant must be permanently or severely disabled to satisfy at least one of the six medical criteria in order to obtain a primary medical certificate. The mobility allowance and motorised transport grant also need to be reformed.

Allowing people full participation in society is an important aspect of our transport policy. I would like to know what steps are proposed towards the disability proofing of all transport projects. That can include buses, trains, footpaths and bus stops. How will the working group take a role in the review of how we apply joined-up thinking? We must make all Departments look at what is best and how we can allow our friends and families who happen to have a disability to become equitable members of our society.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I know it is an issue she is continuously working on and trying to progress so it is great to have the opportunity to provide the House with an update. The transport working group was established in 2020 to support work action No. 104 of the national disability inclusion strategy, NDIS, the whole-of-government strategy which is tasked with tackling a wide variety of issues across society. Action No. 104 of the NDIS commits us to lead a review of transport supports encompassing all Government funded transport and mobility schemes for people with disabilities and to enhance the options for transport to work or employment supports for people with disabilities. We will develop proposals for development of a co-ordinated plan for such provisions. This plan will have regard to making the most efficient use of available transport resources.

The transport working group's work was paused to prioritise initial responses to the pandemic, while the work of the main NDIS steering group continued. I made a commitment to reconvene the working group and it met on 26 January. I chaired that meeting.

Following engagement last summer between the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, it was decided to use the existing transport working group to progress a review of the disabled drivers and disabled passengers scheme.That scheme is designed by the Department of Finance and the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, has already committed to reviewing that scheme. The group's membership is made up of relevant Departments and State agencies which have a role in the provision of transport for people with disabilities with a particular focus on transport to enable access to employment. Members include officials from both of my Departments, namely, the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, along with the National Disability Authority, the Department of Finance, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Transport with the National Transport Authority. The County and City Management Association is also represented. To put it in context, I have left nobody out. I brought everybody back into the fold because it has to be a whole-of-government, cross-departmental working group to ensure we get delivery for persons with a disability. It is not just a rural or an urban issue. It is about accessibility, inclusion and participation. While I reference work there, I also reference education. In her contribution Senator McGreehan talked about the social outlet. That is equally as important as access to work or education. Everybody has a right to participate.

I am pleased to say that there is involvement from all stakeholders on the group, and representatives from the disability stakeholder group, the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland were also in attendance. As the House knows, consultation with stakeholders is a key element of the implementation of the UNCRPD and I look forward to hearing its views and input as the work of the group develops and continues. This group will meet every three months. It is not that it meets and is a talking shop. It is based on actions. Everybody knows his or her own actions within it.

At January's meeting, Department representatives presented on the transport support schemes they are responsible for and we heard views and concerns from the stakeholders. Members have agreed an initial work programme to include a stock take of the current and, indeed, previous transport support schemes in operation. I have also asked it to consider what worked well in the past, what currently works well, ruling nothing in and putting everything on the table. It is clear that a variety of measures and supports exists across government but we must make sure action is co-ordinated across the system and addresses the real needs of people with disabilities. The ongoing work of the group will be co-ordinated by my officials who will also draft terms of reference for discussion at the next meeting.

Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail)
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It is refreshing to see and hear about the work that is going on and the positive actions being taken. It is also refreshing to hear that it is a case of nothing about us without us, and that the people at the table know what they are talking about as it is their lived experience and they know the barriers because they face them day in, day out.

Another issue is the report from the Department of Social Protection, which has come up. I refer to a review of the free travel scheme. There is a barrier in terms of how different disabilities are classed. It is means- and disability-tested. For example, a person who has epilepsy should have a pathway to access to free travel. We need a more flexible pathway to free travel to assist people to live independently and to have free access to education and work which are really important things.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The wonderful thing about this working group is it will be an opportunity, as I said, to consider what worked well in the past and what resources were removed from people with disabilities which gave them independent access to participation. We all know from people coming to our offices how limited the primary medical certification is, and I think the courts have told us as well. I must compliment and thank the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, for his willingness to participate and to send his officials to the conversation. This means we are prepared to have that conversation. Technology has moved on in regard to adaptations within the car but if you are blind, you still cannot drive. People who are blind are completely excluded from the assessment criteria. It is about understanding what inclusion is and what people's rights are, and enshrining that within the whole-of-government, cross-departmental approach. I am delighted all the senior Ministers have allowed their officials to participate in this. No Department should be missing.