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"Government rejects Disability Bill," says Deputy Paul McGrath
Fine Gael Deputy Spokesperson for Finance, Paul McGrath urged the Government to re-consider its rejection of Fine Gael's Disability Bill which would have enshrined the rights of over 350,000 Irish people with disabilities in law, by promoting and protecting their rights and by securing the fair, simple, speedy and efficient resolution of complaints relating to infringement of those rights.
"The Fine Gael Bill provides for the appointment of a Disability Commissioner with responsibility for drafting a code of disability rights and for the promotion, respect for and observance of those rights. The commissioner will also investigate breaches of the code, among other responsibilities.
"The Bill also seeks to establish one substantive right - that of an assessment of needs and to the services which will be required to fulfil those needs.
"This Bill emerges from frustration at almost five years of hollow Government promises. Regretfully, the Fine Gael Bill was voted down in Dáil Éireann on Wednesday last by the Fianna Fáil led Government. In the aftermath of the Sinnott Case, Government promises came thick and fast.
- The Minister promised a Disabilities (Education and Training) Bill - where are the plans? What progress has been made on this bill - NONE.
- The Minister promised to recruit 70 additional psychologists to assist in removing bottlenecks in needs assessment - NONE have been recruited to date.
- The Government announced the establishment of a Special Needs Education Forum to 'contribute to the elements which will make up the State's comprehensive response to the needs of people with disabilities.' The first meeting was to be held in September 2001 yet so far nobody has received an invitation to participate.
"A Government report cites the Department of Finance as saying that it 'cannot accept…underpinning by law of access to and provision of services for people with disabilities as a right…This right …would be prohibitively expensive for the Exchequer…and could lead to requests from other persons….without regard to the eventual cost of providing these services.'
"These financially virtuous sentiments are chilling in the extreme. People's rights can be vindicated if they are cheap. Value for money, not quality of life, not fulfilment, not independence, not the achievement of personal goals, is the by-word. This is the very challenge of democracy…that finance knows best. Do we really know the price of everything and the value of nothing?
"I wish to pay tribute to the National Parents and Siblings Alliance, to the Irish Wheelchair Association, to the Centre for Independent Living, to the Carers Association and to the many groups and individuals who provide daily care for people with disabilities. Their initiative and dedication on this issue of rights for people with disabilities is to be applauded," says McGrath.
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