The long-promised Disability Bill will not now be published in this Dáil session, The Irish Times has learned. It had been expected this session.
The Bill replaces a Disability Bill which was withdrawn at the end of the last Dáil because of opposition from disability rights campaigners. They have been consulted about the new Bill through the Disability Legislation Consultation Group.
Its spokesman, Mr Donal Toolan, yesterday called on the Government to clarify when the Bill would be published. Ministers had expressed different views as to when this was going to happen, which caused concern to people with disabilities and their families.
He said the group was meeting the Minister of State, Mr Willie O'Dea, on June 11th to discuss progress on the legislation, following its submission of proposals on it in February.
"In particular, in the light of the current difficulties over the funding of services to people with disabilities, we will be impressing upon the Minister the need to include funding mechanisms within the proposed Disabilities Bill."
Mr O'Dea said the Bill would not be published before the summer recess as the Government was first publishing next month the Education Disadvantage Bill, which included disability issues in education.