Sinn Féin spokesperson on Disability and Carers, Pauline Tully TD, has called on the government to publish without any further delay the overdue implementation measures for the Disability Action Plan.

Teachta Tully said:

“The long overdue Disability Action Plan Implementation Framework needs to be published without any further delay, and in advance of Budget 2023.

“The government needs to set out in detail the implementation measures they are putting in place to deliver on the commitments in the Action Plan.

“The purpose of the plan is to inform and enable longer term planning for specialist disability services over the next 10 years considering future demographic change and current unmet need.

“These measures were initially to be published in the later part of 2021 but were delayed.

“In early July this year, the Minister with responsibility for Disabilities Anne Rabbitte told the Dáil that the measures would be published within weeks, however, this has not happened to date.

“These measures need to be published in advance of, and incorporated into, Budget 2023.

“We need to see a long-term, multi-annual, appropriately resourced approach to specialist disability services that will enable proper long-term plans to be put in place instead of Disabled Peoples Organisations and opposition parties having to plead with the government each year prior to the budget.”