asked the Taoiseach if he will designate a Minister of State for the disabled to be based at the Department of Health but with interdepartmental responsibility for all matters affecting the disabled including health, housing, transport and other matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ministerial Responsibility for the Disabled.
1.
I am satisfied that the existing arrangements for dealing with matters affecting the disabled are the most suitable and are in accordance with the policy, which disabled people themselves favour, of integrating the disabled into the community.
Would the Taoiseach not agree that there is a need to heighten awareness in Departments which are not normally accustomed to thinking of the needs of the disabled, especially in relation to housing and transport? Would he not agree that at least one member of the Government should have overall responsibility for ensuring this awareness?
Yes, but that member of the Government would be the Minister for Health. The Deputy will be aware that the Green Paper published in 1984 came to the conclusion that the appointment of a Minister of State would not be helpful or worth while.
Would the Taoiseach not accept that there is genuine frustration among organisations dealing with the handicapped due to the lack of progress? There was a flurry of activity during the year of the disabled but that has dropped off since. One area of particular concern is that of transport. I would agree with the intent of the question in that it would be important to have greater consciousness in each departmental area as to what could be done. That consciousness has not been there since the end of the year of the disabled.
I do not accept everything the Deputy is saying and I would repeat that the present situation is the one favoured by the disabled themselves. While I would accept that there is, perhaps, a need to heighten awareness of the problems of the disabled throughout all Departments, nevertheless it is not considered that the appointment of a particular Minister of State would contribute to improving the situation.