Disability Services
Seanad Éireann — 2021-12-08
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Regina Doherty (FG), Nominated by the Taoiseach

I welcome everything the Minister of State has said on behalf of the Minister. I know the memorandum to Cabinet yesterday only sought permission to publish the report. What we need to see now is action on the recommendations. I know from speaking to the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, that she will bring the report to the steering group next week. The Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, and I both know that the might of the Taoiseach's office is needed to direct and manage the recommendations on a quarterly basis. We are one third of the way through the term of this Government already. We have a real commitment in the programme for Government to make a tangible difference in the lives of people with disabilities.
As the Cathaoirleach knows, Senators speak week-in, week-out about the conscious and unconscious biases faced by people with disabilities. We have a real opportunity to address the financial burden people with disabilities live with weekly and to recognise the extra supports that are needed. I know this will cost hundreds of millions of euro, if not €1 billion, but it is time for the Government to show the true measure of the decisions that are made and the real positive impact we can make for the tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of people and families living with a person with a disability and for the State to support them as we truly wish it to do.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2021-12-08/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:49:56+00:00
Sitting date: 2021-12-08