Martin Daly urges funding to make disability strategy a reality
Martin Daly welcomed the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 and called for the Government and the minister to match its commitments with sustained, predictable investment. He praised the strategy's mainstream-first and individualised supports but warned current funding models, especially in rural Ruscommon Galway, are eroding the service day and disadvantaging families.
The speaker described the strategy as a landmark moment, the first national strategy since Ireland ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He said it commits the Government to a whole-of-government response to equality, participation and choice, framing those aims as rights that must be achieved.
He gave a local example from the Brothers of Charity Ruscommon where 17 new school leavers are entering adult day services across six towns. Funding was provided for a vehicle but no ongoing funding for staff to operate it, so hours required for transport are deducted from an already limited six-hour service day.
The speaker praised providers such as the Brothers of Charity and Ability West for stretching limited resources, but warned the current funding model forces services to shorten the day and families to structure their lives around it. He said working days are cut short, careers are put on hold and household incomes are reduced, creating a structural barrier to participation and limiting opportunities for disabled people to learn, socialise and build independence.
He argued the strategy's commitment to a mainstream-first approach and to individualised supports must be matched by sustained, predictable investment. He urged the minister to ensure a service day-long enough to meet need and to fund staffing so transport does not erode the day itself, delivering fairness for rural service users and turning the strategy from intent into genuine equality of participation under the UN Convention.
Overview of the strategy
The speaker described the strategy as a landmark moment, the first national strategy since Ireland ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He said it commits the Government to a whole-of-government response to equality, participation and choice, framing those aims as rights that must be achieved.
Rural service example
He gave a local example from the Brothers of Charity Ruscommon where 17 new school leavers are entering adult day services across six towns. Funding was provided for a vehicle but no ongoing funding for staff to operate it, so hours required for transport are deducted from an already limited six-hour service day.
Impact on families and participation
The speaker praised providers such as the Brothers of Charity and Ability West for stretching limited resources, but warned the current funding model forces services to shorten the day and families to structure their lives around it. He said working days are cut short, careers are put on hold and household incomes are reduced, creating a structural barrier to participation and limiting opportunities for disabled people to learn, socialise and build independence.
Call for funding and implementation
He argued the strategy's commitment to a mainstream-first approach and to individualised supports must be matched by sustained, predictable investment. He urged the minister to ensure a service day-long enough to meet need and to fund staffing so transport does not erode the day itself, delivering fairness for rural service users and turning the strategy from intent into genuine equality of participation under the UN Convention.
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Transcript
Thank you. Equal voices, equal action, equal futures. I welcome the publication of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, shaped by people who live with disability. This is a landmark moment, the first national strategy since Ireland ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It commits this Government to a whole-of-government response to equality, participation and choice, not merely as aspirations, but as rights that must be achieved. However, we must be honest about the gap between the strategy and its five pillars and the lived experience, especially in rural constituencies such as my own in Ruscommon Galway. In the Brothers of Charity Ruscommon this year, 17 new school leavers are entering adult day services across six towns. Funding was provided for a vehicle but no ongoing funding for staff to operate it. The hours required to transport individuals are deducted from the service day itself. When that day is already limited to six hours, every minute lost is significant. I am so appreciative of the extraordinary work of providers like the Brothers of Charity and Ability West and their staff who do everything possible to stretch limited resources to meet the needs of families. But even with their dedication, the current funding model forces services to shorten the day and families to structure their lives around it. Working days are cut short, careers are put on hold and household incomes are reduced, not by choice but because the service model does not align with the realities of modern work and family life. This is not a marginal issue, it is a structural barrier to participation. It limits the opportunities of disabled people to learn, socialise and build independence, and it constrains their families' ability to participate fully in the workforce and in society. The National Strategy is ambitious and rightly so. Its commitment to a mainstream first approach and to individualise supports is exactly what is required. But a mission must be matched by sustained, predictable investment. We must ensure a service day-long enough to meet need and fund staffing so that transport does not erode the day itself and deliver fairness for rural service users who cannot be disadvantaged simply because of their geography. Minister, if we achieve that, this strategy will not be merely a statement of intent, it will be a turning point, one that delivers genuine equality of participation and fulfils the promise we made under the UN Convention. Thank you, Mr. President, thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. President.