The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has agreed to consider key amendments to the controversial Disability Bill which enters the Seanad this week, it has emerged.
At a meeting on with the Disability Legislation Consultation Group (DLCG) last week, he gave a commitment to consider the amendments which include:
the right of a person with a disability to have a face to face interview to review their service statement
that a complaints officer would recommend timeframes for assessment and service delivery
that the annual report related to aggregate needs would be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and would also include the number and profile of people awaiting assessment.
The Chairperson of the DLCG Ms Angela Kerins told ireland.com: "We acknowledge the fact that amendments have already been made to the Bill and acknowledge that the Taoiseach has agreed to consider additional changes."
Ms Kerins believes it is significant that the Taoiseach has also agreed to amend cabinet procedures: "All legislation and policy proposals submitted to Government must now take account of the impact on people with disabilities."
Ms Kerins is pleased with progress on the Bill so far but recognises there are many other issues to be resolved: " For example the matter of the appeals officer being independent of the Department of Health and placed in the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform is yet unresolved."
"Definite gains have been made but there’s still a way to go yet," she added.
At the meeting, the Taoiseach emphasised the need to focus on the delivery of service improvements through successful implementation of the Bill and the effective use of the extra resources now available.