Mattie McGrath: Condemns Government Over Disability Services
Mattie McGrath criticised the handling of disability services in a debate, welcoming campaigners and accusing leaders of attempting to shut down debate. He thanked the Social Democrats for bringing the motion, welcomed people in the gallery and campaigners including Jackie Convoy from the AMEI, and demanded better services for families with disabilities.
Main criticism
McGrath accused the Taoiseach and others of trying to shut down debate and of denying people in the gallery and families across the country the right to be heard. He argued these debates are valuable and insisted constituents want services, not "empty words."
Failures on services
McGrath told the minister "You've failed utterly, Minister, to provide any services," and criticised an unwieldy system with long waits. He also complained about cost increases, referencing a rise in a "fibre" rent as an example of added pressure on families.
Constituent examples
He cited a child from Wexford who could not get a wheelchair to fit and a young girl named Cara from Finland who came looking for services. McGrath highlighted the scale of need by mentioning 152,000 families on disabilities.
Community action and respite
McGrath praised volunteer groups and a local fundraising campaign in Cosgro-Newa that has worked to establish a respite unit. He said communities do not want lip service but practical support and infrastructure for respite care.
Appeal to representatives
He urged elected advocates to raise these issues in the chamber and not allow debate to be shut down by leaders or chairs. McGrath closed by thanking visitors in the gallery and offering a Gaelic farewell.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Good morning, I do want to welcome the people to the gallery this morning, making a special effort and a fair fall to the road, to thank the Social Democrats for bringing forward this important motion. But to think of the words of the Taoiseach, of the Taoiseach yesterday, the ear Taoiseach, and to say that we're wasting time in here. He wants to shut down debate, he wants to deny your good people up here and your families all over the country the right to be heard, that we shouldn't be wasting debates like this, a very valuable, important debate, and you don't want to listen to empty words from me or from anyone else, you want services that you're so entitled to. You don't want to be discriminated against when you do get a job, or you get work, or you do get, if you're an actress, you get a gig, and I want to welcome Jackie Convoy up here from the AMEI as well. And that's what we need. And has this country gone to this stage now that we won't provide the services? You've failed utterly, Minister, to provide any services. And did the teacher to tell us lecturers that we shouldn't even raise these issues in here? What do you want to go down this chamber? Just forget the people altogether. The Heller the Connacht is back and well again. And to think that we have 152,000 families on disabilities. And if they'd get anything, or do anything, like someone mentioned, the fibre increase, and a fibre rent went up in the house. How cruel-hearted and cruel-minded have we become? And how the system is so unwieldy, and it reads the paper, and they're waiting for 10 years. And I saw a child recently from Wexford, with Deputy Murphy Murphy out here, come up, couldn't get a wheelchair to fit them. I saw a young girl from Finnland, Cara, come up to visit, to see if she gets services for herself. I want to salute the volunteer groups around the country, and especially, and I say it's my own, positive steps in Cosgro-Newa, who've set out on a journey to fundraise, to put a special unit, and a respite unit, in place for the people. And they don't want lip service. They want support. They want us, as advocates, to raise these issues here, where we're elected to, and not to be shut down by Tarns, or anybody else. Go raibh maibh.
Thank you for downloading 🙏
If you publish this material on social media, we would be very grateful if you tagged VideoParliament. It helps us reach more people and keep building a transparent archive of Irish politics.
