Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I echo Senator Ward's concerns about criminal barristers and free legal aid. It is an issue that goes to our fundamental trust in the administration of justice. It is an index of society that is extremely important.

The Minister of State and I share an intimate understanding of the challenges posed by disability. I do not for one moment doubt his integrity and commitment to the circumstances that confront disabled Irish citizens and carers. For carers and social protection for disabled citizens, the word "underwhelming" has been repeated to describe the budget over the past hour or two. I welcome the home care tax credit increase of €150, the increase of €150 for single person childcare and so on. Apologies for my wording but I also welcome the increase of €300 to the incapacitated child tax credit. However, those measures do not speak to the fundamental human rights of disabled citizens and the concerns we have in that area, which I have raised repeatedly in this Chamber over the past two and a half years. We in Ireland are facing something of a crisis in respect of all of the measurable indices for quality of life and autonomy, and even health outcomes, if one looks at the waiting lists for children seeking surgery for scoliosis and so on. We are in crisis in that regard.

I hoped the Minister would see fit to end means testing for the carer's allowance and to end it completely for the disability allowance. We know from studies commissioned by the Department of Social Protection that these meagre allowances do not even meet the additional cost of having a disability in Ireland, which is estimated at between €12,000 and €16,000 per year. Notwithstanding the increase of €12, the disability allowance only comes to approximately €12,000. It does not even meet the extra cost, never mind putting food on the table or paying rent. I hoped for a more ambitious and radical change to the circumstances of disabled citizens in the budget. We have plenty of money. I was dismayed to hear that the Minister for public expenditure and reform clearly gave instructions in the run-up to the care referendum that there should be no wording in our Constitution that gives disabled citizens socioeconomic rights. I was very disappointed to hear and read that. It was a dark moment for me as a parent and carer. According to the Government's own campaign, disability rights are fundamental human rights. I hope that in what is left of the life of this Government, the Taoiseach does as he promised and fully ratifies the optional protocol to the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD. I hope that in future budgets, which the parties currently in power may be in a position to deliver after whatever happens next, we approach disability in a more ambitious and radical way.