At a meeting of the Joint Committee on Disabilities Matters, Deputy Sean Canney raised some of the issues facing people with disabilities.
He said; “Some of the issues that need to be addressed include lack of overnight respite services in Galway, transport issue for accessing services in rural areas, length of time it takes to process carers' allowances applications, and the fact that people who are permanently disabled having to prove their disability exists every time they apply for a service.
“Whilst the previous Government adopted the United nations Conventions on the Rights of Persons with disabilities, we still need to ratify the Optional Protocol to the convention. This will allow disabled persons to hold the Government to account by reporting lack of services to the United Nations.
“As a member of the new Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters I intend to continue to work with and on behalf of persons with disabilities and to hold the Government accountable for their action in this regard.”
