I welcome Minister of State, Deputy Burke to the Chamber. The first Commencement matter is in the name of Senator Murphy.
Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters
Primary Care Centres
Go raibh maith ag an Leas-Chathaoirleach. Ar an gcéad dul síos, cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Burke. He is welcome to the House to take this Commencement matter, which is a matter of great importance to me personally and to the community in Ballaghaderreen on the Roscommon and Mayo border. However, it is definitely in County Roscommon.
I know the Minister of State will probably tell me there are issues with this particular project to get a primary care centre into the town of Ballaghaderreen, however, I await his initial response. I point out that the town of Ballaghaderreen has had a significant increase in population over recent years. I was looking at some figures with a party colleague, Mr. Aidan Sampey, who has been raising this issue with me. It is fair to say there has been an increase in the population of Ballaghaderreen of between 40% to 50% over the past seven or eight years. Ballaghaderreen is a very proud town and it is very community-oriented. It has taken in many migrants over the years. It made national news on numerous occasions when it took in the Syrian people. It has taken in Nigerians, Ukrainians, people from Somalia and other places as well. Of course, there is a vibrant Irish community in the Ballaghaderreen area as well. It is crucial that despite whatever roadblocks there are, we take this project very seriously and get it established in the town of Ballaghaderreen.
There are two doctors in the town and they are under pressure. Their patients are under pressure. We need to up the health service in the Ballaghaderreen area. One of the doctors, Dr. Garvey, offered his own site to the authorities to establish that particular primary care centre. We certainly need to improve the services there because of the flood of people into the town and there are a significant amount of families in the region as well. It would be a wonderful statement to the local community were we able to put this project forward. Obviously, it is not going to happen overnight but we need to lay the foundation now and deal with the problems that are there. I know there are problems there that have to be dealt with. It is very important that we move on boldly on this particular project and that we do whatever we have to do to get that project over the line and get it established in the next few years, if we can.
As I said at the outset, this is a project that is badly needed in the town of Ballaghaderreen and in the wider west Roscommon area. There are places like Tibohine, Lisacul and Gortaganny, which are in a very rural area of west Roscommon. Many of the people in those rural areas would travel to Ballaghaderreen as their local town. I will not delay any further as I have made the case, plain and simple. I await the response. Whatever comes out of this today, I hope it will become an absolute priority for the HSE to start working seriously on dealing with the problems that are there in order to move this project on.
In conclusion, this was first initiated as far back as around 2012 and it has not come to fruition. I await the Minister of State's answer with interest.
On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, I would like to thank Senator Murphy for raising this matter and for the opportunity to update the House.
A central objective of the programme for Government is to deliver increased levels of integrated healthcare with service delivery reoriented towards general practice, primary care and community-based services to enable a “home first" approach. Integral to this, is the development of primary care centres across the country in our local communities. Primary care centres provide important primary care infrastructure, providing a single point of access to services for the individual. They also serve as a resource more broadly for the community, creating a focal point for local health initiatives or providing community groups with a place to meet. It is for this reason that the development of primary care centres is an important part of Sláintecare. Significant progress has been made in the delivery of these primary care centres, with 174 opened to date and a further ten in construction. These primary care centres offer a tangible example of the investment this Government is making in community-based health infrastructure.
The operational lease model is often the preferred model for developing primary care centres as it has the potential to offer better value for money and enable streamlined delivery of projects.
Under the model the HSE enters into fixed-term leases with developers. The HSE identifies the locations requiring primary care centres and invites interested parties to express their interest in providing suitable accommodation by way of public notice in local and or national press. The primary care centre in Ballaghaderreen is being delivered by way of this operational lease model. As such, the HSE had identified a preferred provider for the centre and discussions were progressing regarding lease agreements. Unfortunately, the preferred provider of the new primary care centre in Ballaghaderreen has indicated a potential issue regarding the viability of the project. Subsequently, engagement has taken place between the HSE and the preferred provider to seek clarification regarding the viability and timeframe for the delivery of this project. However, should the preferred provider be unable to proceed, the HSE has reassured the Minister, Deputy Donnelly that it will be clarifying all options to deliver a primary care centre in the area. In this regard the Minister wishes to reassure the Senator that this Government remains committed to the provision of the primary care centre in Ballaghaderreen and remains committed to the continued development of primary care centres throughout the country.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an tAire Stáit for quite an upfront and straight reply to the issue. Certainly all is not lost, I am glad we have a Minister of State from the Department of Health dealing with this issue this morning. I appreciate that as I know Deputy Burke will have a good understanding of what I am talking about. I ask that he go back to the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, on this because, as a result of the huge increase in population, we need to look at other options if necessary to ensure delivery of a primary care centre. Costs have been spiralling out of control, I fully accept that. This creates a challenge for Government in terms of public expenditure and finance. We do need to push on with this and I hope the Minister of State will take back a message that we can look at the proposal again, do what needs to be done and get this project up and running. It would be very much welcomed by the community in that part of County Roscommon.
On behalf of the Minister I would like to again thank the Senator for raising this matter and creating the opportunity to update the House. The Minister recognises the frustration of the people of Ballaghaderreen who are waiting for the development of this new primary care centre. As noted, the HSE is engaging with developers to seek clarification regarding the viability of the undertaking. The HSE has also asked for a timeframe for the delivery of the project. Should the preferred provider be unable to proceed the HSE has reassured the Minister that it will be exploring all options to deliver a new primary care centre in this area. This is a problem that has arisen in a number of places across the country now, it is not just Ballaghaderreen. As noted in my opening statement, there has been significant positive progress in developing primary care centres nationally. There are now 174 primary care centres operational throughout the country and another ten currently under construction. The Minister wishes to assure the Senator that both he and the other officials in the Department of Health are actively engaging with the HSE in order to ensure the continued development of primary care centres throughout the country, including in Ballaghaderreen.
I thank the Minister. The next Commencement matter is from Senator Mícheál Carrigy and the Minister will be staying with us for that.
Dental Services
My Commencement matter this morning relates to a crucial issue that affects many parents throughout the country who have kids with additional needs. The simple act of a routine dental appointment is an overwhelming challenge and experience for these children, particularly those on the autism spectrum. The sensory overload from the lights and sounds etc. can induce stress in those children and is a daunting task for both the parents and the child. I recently met with a parent of a nine-year-old child who required a dental visit and for whom the only option was through the school's dental system. Within that system there are no special needs dentists, they are currently in the public system. The family had very limited options and had to go privately to have treatment carried out, extractions and crowns, at a cost of over €3,000. The reality as we well know and as we have highlighted in various reports, and in the joint committee report on autism, is that there are already significant costs there for the families of children with various disabilities, particularly those with autism, who are paying for services not available on the public system. This is on top of the necessity of taking leave. There is now another cost for families because we do not have specialised trained dentists within the HSE system. I am asking that this be rectified and we actively recruit dentists within the HSE who have this specialised training so that families of kids with autism spectrum disorder can get treatment within the public system.
I would ask that until such a time as this will be put in place, the National Treatment Purchase Fund be utilised. I tabled a Commencement matter on this previously. It is recommended in the joint committee report that this fund be put in place and used to be able to adequately compensate parents who have to pay for services privately because we do not have the people needed within the various CDNT systems throughout the country. Until such a time as we have the required number of professionals with the qualifications necessary to be able to do this, we must allow the National Treatment Purchase Fund to compensate parents who have to organise this specialist dental care privately. I do not think that is a big ask; we are not providing the services for these children that we provide for every other child through the public system. It is a fair ask that we at least compensate the families affected until such time as we have the professionals in place and, as I have said, it is a recommendation in the joint committee report and something we dealt with extensively in our committee meetings. I would like to see that put in place.
Thank you Senator, I know a lot of people will agree with the sentiments you have expressed and I recognise that you have done a lot of work on behalf of people with autism. I call Deputy Burke.
Thank you a Leas-Chathaoirligh. I am here on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Donnelly to reply to this Commencement matter. I thank Senator Carrigy for the opportunity to address the issue of specialised dentistry within the public service. The salaried HSE public dental service providers offer care to several groups of patients including those with complex and additional needs. In addition, public dental service provides a programme which includes screening and necessary treatment for children at ages corresponding to second class, sixth class and subject to capacity, fourth class. Emergency care is also provided to children up to 16 years of age and for those with complex and additional needs.
This service provides care to many children and adults who would otherwise not have access to oral health care services. Officials in the Department of Health engage with the HSE on an ongoing basis to understand and address any challenges arising in the provision of public dental services. The Minister has been assured by the HSE that it is continuing to restore dental screening and treatment to children up to 16 years of age, through recruitment initiatives to fill vacancies that have arisen or may arise, prioritising clinical treatment and patient groups and reallocating clinical resources according to greatest need. The HSE has advised that many general dental surgeons would see patients with special needs routinely.
Regarding capacity and recruitment, it is extremely heartening to note that we currently have more registered dentists in Ireland than ever before. We have 3,652 at present which is an additional 189 registered dentists since March 2023. This reflects positive trends with comparative figures being 3,217 in 2018. The HSE has confirmed that in February 2024 there were 821 whole-time equivalents working in the public dental service across all grades, including 302 dentists, wholetime equivalent. Of the 302 these include consultant and specialist orthodontists. It should be noted that there are only two specialists recognised across EU orthodontics and oral surgery. In Ireland oral surgery and orthodontics have specialist registers in place.
Ireland aligns with the EU dental postgraduate education models, which lean on QQI levels to determine the standard of education in dentistry. More than one third of the dental workforce in Ireland comprises dentists who have qualified outside of Ireland but within the EU. These dentists will continue to contribute to our workforce due to the oversupply of dentists in other EU countries but, in the main, few have specialist training outside of orthodontics or oral surgery.
The national policy prioritises the development of robust primary care, which caters for 90% of oral healthcare. This is aligned with both the EU model of care and the World Health Organization workforce model. The policy outlines, however, that the care pathways for the advanced centres of care and complex care will inform us of the need for additional training, specialisation or both in specific areas of dentistry.
Concerted efforts are ongoing within the HSE to address any current vacancies and any resourcing challenges that may be experienced by the dental and oral health professions. These are important measures to ensure the adequate staffing of our services for patients today. In tandem, we are also investing in fundamental reform of our healthcare services through implementation of the national oral health policy. The policy provides a framework and a set of action areas, including strategic workforce planning, to comprehensively reform oral healthcare service design and delivery.
I thank the Minister of State. He stated few dentists who have specialist training outside of orthodontics or oral surgery are employed within the public health system, but there are dentists working in the private system who have that additional training to work with kids with special needs to make sure they are able to get treatment. I want to ensure that within the public system, there will be availability of dentists with that training in order that more families will not have to go private to get treatment for their child, who would be able to get it under the public system, and pay a figure of, as in this case, more than €3,000. I am asking the Minister of State to ensure that will be looked at, but until such time as we can employ people with that training, we should compensate families through the National Treatment Purchase Fund. That fund exists and it should be expanded for other treatments, whether assessments of need, occupational therapy or speech and language therapy, that we are not providing for kids with additional needs. We need to expand it and use it. It has been used successfully for other operations. We need to put the funding in place, expand the scheme and make it available in these cases.
I take on board what the Senator is saying and I will certainly follow it up with the Minister. I assure him access to dental care through the public system is a priority for the Minister and the Government. The Minister has made substantial additional investment in oral healthcare services in recent years. In addition to the more than €200 million the Government invests in public oral healthcare services annually, an additional €17 million in one-off funding has been invested since 2019 and 2020 to address service backlogs. More than €200 million annually, therefore, is going into the dental services.
Fundamental reforms are also being progressed through the implementation of the national oral health policy, for which funding has been made available. The policy sets out the vision for the future of oral healthcare services. While it will take a number of years to be brought to complete fruition, there will be an early and continued emphasis on addressing the current issues. The policy fundamentally aspires that all Irish people will have their own dental home where they can build a lifelong relationship with a local dental practice or practices of their choosing for continuity of care from birth to old age. The policy has two goals, namely, to provide the supports to enable every individual to achieve their personal best oral health and to improve access to dental care in an equitable and sustainable manner, thereby enabling vulnerable groups to improve their oral health. I am confident that, working together with the dental profession and other stakeholders in line with respective roles and responsibilities, the goals of the policy will be met. A review is ongoing into dental training and the numbers of places in our colleges, which will, we hope, be completed reasonably soon. I take on board the other matter the Senator raised and will follow it up.
I thank the Minister of State for being with us. I hope he will have a good day. I am sure it will be busy for him as usual.
Education Policy
I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers. Senator O'Reilly would like him to outline the continuing professional development provided to teachers to enable them to identify and support gifted and talented students in our education system.
I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, who, I can only imagine, was a both gifted and talented student himself. I acknowledge the long and dedicated work of a former Member of the Seanad and a personal friend of mine, Dr. Fidelma Healy Eames in this area of identifying and supporting gifted children and helping them to blossom. Her seminal work in this area, The Gifted Learner: How to Help, was a trailblazer and has been very important.
Gifted and talented students are a frequently overlooked, yet critical, component of our educational system. These students account for up to 10% of our population and attend every school in Ireland. Despite their potential, they are one of the most underserved and vulnerable cohorts in our schools today. According to research, gifted students who are not appropriately identified and nurtured can have serious mental health problems, such as depression, substance addiction and even suicidal ideation. This stark truth emphasises the significance of treating their needs seriously.
The Acting Chairman is a neighbour of mine. I am very proud that in Breifne College, Cavan, a wonderful scheme has long been ongoing to identify and support gifted children. The initiative, which is supported by the principal, Breege Reilly, and co-ordinated by a member of the teaching staff, Alma, has been very well received and featured on "Nationwide" recently. This is a testament to how Cavan, as usual, is ahead of the curve. The programme not only recognises the potential in these students but actively nurtures it. It is setting an example for what can be achieved with the appropriate support, and there is a need for a postholder and timetabling to support him or her in dealing with gifted children, which is one of my asks, for which Breifne College is the case in point.
Continuing professional development for teachers is critical in this regard, which is the second of my asks. Teachers are on the front line of recognising and supporting exceptional pupils, yet they may lack the necessary skills to identify them. They require extensive training to assist them in understanding and meeting the various needs of these pupils. This includes the capacity to detect underachieving gifted individuals, as well as those who are doubly exceptional, namely, brilliant students who might have a learning disability, such as dyslexia. These pupils frequently go undetected because their limitations obscure their skills. Nevertheless, with adequate training, teachers can learn to look past these barriers and help these youngsters thrive. Our system must ensure gifted children are neither forgotten nor overlooked. Many of these adolescents lose interest in school because they are not pushed or recognised for their ability. They require a curriculum that is not only accelerated but also rich in chances for practical application and creative expression.
They require intellectual companions who share their interests, provide challenges and engage their natural curiosity. In that regard, I must compliment Dr. Colm O'Reilly and the team in DCU, where the Centre for Talented Youth, Ireland, CTYI, is based.
The OECD confirms the Irish situation in an international context. Our rate of gifted children is 10%, which is a very high percentage. Yet, ten in every 100 are at the moment not adequately catered for. Parents can play an important role as the champions and supporters of these children, and that is happening in Breifne College. We need to bridge the gap between these parents in the schools and have them involved in the programmes. That has to be part of the training of the teachers.
I am asking the Minister of Education to consider implementing a comprehensive, continuous professional development strategy that focuses on recognising, understanding and supporting gifted and talented kids. This should include teachers with a designated post of responsibility within schools to maintain continuity and focus on gifted education, as well as the resources and the time required for instructors to effectively engage with these pupils. By doing so, we can help our brilliant students reach their full potential and receive the education and assistance they deserve.
I look forward to the response by the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers. I know he will be relaying the response from the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. It is critical that the Minister, Deputy Foley, knows this must be given priority.
I appreciate Sentator Joe O'Reilly raising this important issue. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Education who was not available this morning. I thank the Senator for raising this and allowing me the opportunity to outline the provisions that are in place to support gifted and talented students.
Our students are among the top performers, as seen in international testing, but it is acknowledged that we need to strengthen our focus on the gifted and talented or exceptionally able students. To this end, the Department of Education proposes to develop a policy which will set out how we will further support these learners. Ireland’s Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy 20242033, which was published yesterday, highlights the importance of the need for students with exceptional abilities. One of the key challenges for the Department in conjunction with other stakeholders is to ensure that exceptionally able learners are identified at an early stage and are challenged and supported appropriately, particularly in the areas of literacy, numeracy and digital literacy. The provision of education for children with additional educational needs is a priority for Government and that is reflected in the allocation of €2.7 billion to support special education and inclusive education. That is at the core of the Department's policy, which requires differentiated teaching approaches to cater for the varying levels of ability in the classroom, to provide additional supports to those experiencing difficulty and to ensure the appropriate levels of challenge and enrichment for exceptionally able students.
The Education Act 1998 requires boards of management of each school to publish the policy of the school relating to participation by students with special educational needs, including students who are exceptionally able. It is the duty of the boards of management to ensure that appropriate education services are made available to such students. Schools at both primary and secondary levels have been encouraged to use strategies such as curriculum differentiation, curriculum enrichment and acceleration to facilitate the development of pupils who are exceptionally able.
The new primary curriculum framework sets out a fresh vision for children's learning that is characterised by playfulness, creativity, challenge, risk-taking and opportunity to reasoning and solving real-life problems. As the full redevelopment of the curriculum progresses, new curriculum specifications will be developed by the NCCA for the five curriculum areas and their associated subjects, which will be available for the school year 2025-2026.
Syllabi and curricula for second-level schools have been designed in such a way as to enable teachers to cater for a wide range of student abilities. Content is outlined in the curricula at both levels and the process is also heavily emphasised. Enabling children how to learn is stressed and facilitated. The development of language skills, investigatory and problem-solving skills, higher-order thinking skills and working individually and as a member of a group, are all encouraged at both levels.
The new junior cycle framework incorporated a modernised curriculum across all subjects in a balanced range of assessment modes that provide a learner experience that is appropriate to the needs of the 21st century. It provides students with learning opportunities to strike a better balance between learning, knowledge, and developing a wide range of skills and thinking abilities. In addition, the National Council for Special Education, NSCE, has advised that while it offered professional teaching and learning on a collective basis over past years, take-up was low, so it now provides advisory support directly to schools that require support and an individual basis. Furthermore, schools can apply for in-school supports where professional learning leaders will respond to the contextual needs of the school and its learners.
It is recognised that students are diverse. Through the provision of a wide range of supports for teachers, they are supported to examine and develop teaching and learning approaches that meet the needs of all learners, including gifted and talented students. There is also bespoke, on-site, school-based support, which allows teachers and school leaders to respond directly to the needs of all learners in their own unique context.
Right on time. That was exactly four minutes. You have great timing. I ask Senator O'Reilly to make his concluding remarks.
I want to say respectfully to the Minister of State that I am heartened by his saying that this issue has been incorporated into a policy statement that was published yesterday. There is an onus on boards of management and the primary curriculum is new in this regard. I agree with the Minister of State about the differentiated teaching approaches.
However, I say respectfully to the Minister of State that all of this is a theoretical framework. It is there in writing but, truthfully, in reality in schools across this country, there is not an adequate focus on this 10% of children. They are potentially the leaders of our country. They will lead the economy. They will lead every facet of our society and, indeed, the world. While we have a theoretical framework, we do not have it in reality, but I am proud that we have that reality in Breifne College in Cavan.
Can the Minister of State please bring this issue to the Cabinet and Minister of Education? We need a proactive approach by the Department of Education. We need every school to be like Breifne College. We need every second-level school in Ireland to focus on this cohort of children. Of course, there is rightly a big focus on the weaker students, who are an absolute priority. That is something we do well. We need to do it even better and we need to keep doing it. Yet, I am speaking about something we are not doing well regarding the top 10% of students. I respect the Minister of State's response, as well as his sincerity, but we need to get this practical expression on the ground.
You never lost your good múinteoir ability, Senator O'Reilly.
I thank the Senator. I will reflect the feedback and perspectives he has given on the success of what is happening in Breifne College, Cavan, as well as the need to make sure all children and young people are given the opportunity to thrive based on their ability. The Senator's point is that we must mainstream that in a much more significant and substantive way within our education system.
In the context of my taking this Commencement matter on her behalf, the Minister has set out to me that we have a framework that enables that. Yet, the Senator's point is about the outworking of that in schools and how they do it on a practical basis. I will reflect the points the Senator raised today to the Minister. We must ensure that everyone in our classroom, including those who need exceptional levels of support and everyone else, can fulfill their opportunity within the education system. I will bring that to her attention and I appreciate the Senator for raising this today.
Disability Services
I thank the Cathaoirleach for choosing this matter. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, to the Seanad this morning. The motorised transport grant was a means-tested payment for people with disabilities who needed to buy a car in order to work. As the Minister of State and Members will be aware, in 2013, the Government closed the motorised transport grant to new applicants after the Office of the Ombudsman found those schemes’ eligibility criteria were in breach of the Equal Status Acts. An alternative fair and equitable replacement scheme was promised at the time, but more than a decade later, it has not been delivered. This issue was highlighted by the Ombudsman for public services in his annual report last year, when he criticised what he called a shameful lack of adequate support for drivers with disabilities.
In particular, he highlighted the failure to replace the motorised transport grant.
In response to the report, the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland rightly pointed out that the grants are not a social assistance but an economic enabler. For thousands of people with disabilities across the country, particularly those in rural areas, where there is a lack of public transport, the failure to replace this grant has had an enormous impact on their ability to gain employment. In 2024, it is intolerable and inexcusable that we are not fully supporting people with disabilities to be active and equal members of their communities. While costs should never be a barrier to the Government fully supporting those living with disability, the funding it would take to replace the motorised transport grant is minimal in terms of the Government budget, which makes it even more incomprehensible that the scheme has not been replaced.
Ireland is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, which places an onus on the signatories to "provide access to transportation on an equal basis to enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life". The failure to replace the motorised transport grant means we are falling well short of that standard, which is unacceptable. As the Minister of State will be aware, the programme for Government contains a commitment to empower those with a disability and give them the ability to choose the supports that most meet their needs. That was a significant, important and welcome commitment, but we need action which gives life to those words and we need it immediately.
I thank the Senator for raising this important issue for discussion. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is leading discussions across Government to develop actions that will improve the lives of people with disabilities, including in the areas of transport and employment, to ensure they can live full lives of their own choosing. The Minister of State with responsibility for disability, Deputy Rabbitte, chaired meetings of the transport working group from January 2022 up to its conclusion in December 2022. The group's work has now concluded and the final report was published in February 2023. The report sets out the contributions made by members for the enhancement of transport and mobility supports for people with disabilities. A number of schemes were considered by the working group, including the mobility allowance and the motorised transport grant, which the Government decided to close to new applicants in 2013 on foot of the Ombudsman's reports in 2011 and 2012 regarding the legal status of both schemes in the context of the Equal Status Acts.
The introduction of a replacement scheme is complex. It has not been possible to deliver one to date, despite work undertaken by the Department of Health prior to the transfer of responsibility for these schemes to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Since the closure of the schemes, there have been ongoing efforts to consider alternative supports that would align with the Equal Status Acts, not least at a senior officials group convened by the Taoiseach specifically to consider what whole-of-government action can be taken to improve transport supports for people with disabilities. There is agreement across this group, and the Departments represented on it, that a holistic, joined-up approach to transport supports for disabled people is vital.
These considerations will continue in the context of the development of the national disability strategy. As we have heard through our consultation process, transport, and personal mobility more broadly, is a fundamental enabler of independence for everyone. Reliable and accessible transport facilitates us to work, socialise and pursue an education. For people with disabilities, transport and personal mobility are acute concerns and their adequate provision can make all the difference in ensuring autonomy, choice and control over one’s day-to-day life, as well as one’s future.
The interconnected nature of these supports is why, in line with the UNCRPD, the Government is taking a determinedly mainstream-first approach to the delivery of the next national disability strategy. In that sense, the next strategy will see transport and mobility for disabled people addressed in a mainstream and co-ordinated fashion in a dedicated pillar. The next national disability strategy will take ambitious action to improve access to transport and mobility for disabled people, acknowledging the importance of such supports in ensuring that disabled people have access, on an equal basis with others, to the full range of opportunities in our society. It is incumbent upon all public bodies to address disability as a matter of everyday function and to understand the role we all play in bringing about genuine inclusivity for people with disabilities.
I thank the Minister of State. Given the enormous impact this has had on thousands of people across the country, I believe we need urgent action. While the reply is welcome and I know significant work has been completed, it is essential that a replacement for the motorised transport grant is finally delivered more than a decade after such a commitment was made. I would be grateful if the Minister of State raises this with his governmental colleagues as a matter of priority. As I noted in my earlier comments, we must ensure, in 2024, that people living with disabilities are fully supported to be active and equal participants in their communities. This scheme was an essential measure in meeting that aim. It is vital that the Government takes action to replace the scheme. That is long overdue.
I again thank Senator Crowe for bringing this issue to the House. I appreciate his contribution in this area, which is very important to us all as representatives in constituencies and also given my own role in the context of transport. It is clear that the issue of transport and mobility supports for people with disabilities is a critical one. Addressing challenges and barriers in this regard will be a very important element to get right as we develop and implement the next national disability strategy. I know there is a lot of frustration with the fact it has taken a number of years to make progress on this issue. There is a significant body of work happening across Government to try to progress solutions around this. As I said, the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, is keen that we would see tangible progress in this area as part of the next disability strategy. I appreciate the Senator raising this on behalf of his constituents and the wider public.
Go raibh maith agat. Gabhaim buíochas leis na hAirí Stáit, Teachtaí Chambers agus Burke, agus na Seanadóirí Crowe, O'Reilly agus Carrigy as a bheith i láthair sa Teach.
Cuireadh an Seanad ar fionraí ar 10.18 a.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 10.32 a.m.
Sitting suspended at 10.18 a.m. and resumed at 10.32 a.m.