Minister promises new disability law

The long-awaited Disability Bill will be introduced to the Dáil before the end of the summer session, the Minister of State for Justice, Mr Willie O'Dea, has promised.

The new legislation is a revised version of the Disability Bill which collapsed last year amid a storm of protests from groups representing the disabled.

The Government was forced to shelve the Bill before the last general election over a clause which would have prevented disabled people suing the State for inadequate services.

The clause, included at the insistence of the Department of Finance, was dropped following months of strenuous opposition from disability groups and the entire Bill was put back for review.

Mr O'Dea was meeting his officials last night to finalise the timeframe for the introduction of the legislation, but he said he was "99 per cent certain" the Bill would be enacted by the summer.

"The Government is determined to bring forward new legislation to replace the last Disability Bill . . . Hopefully that will be before the summer and I can say that I am 99 per cent certain of that."

He made the commitment at the launch yesterday in Dublin of the People with Disabilities in Ireland (PWDI) strategy document and the Youth Beyond Disability report.

PWDI's chief executive Mr Michael Ringrose said he was "hearted by the idea" that the Bill would be enacted before the summer. However, he said, "unlike the Irish summer, I hope the Bill actually materialises".

Mr Ringrose expressed concern at the rejection of the social partnership programme by the community and voluntary sector and called on the Government to allow separate representation for people with disabilities in the next round of talks.

"This agreement will last for 18 months and I am calling on the Government to ensure that the voice of people with disabilities is heard around the table."

The disability sector had felt its voice was "totally left out" of the partnership talks, this year's Budget and the Finance Bill.

"It is estimated that there are 360,000 people - or one in every 10 - who have some form of disability. Clearly, such a sizeable sector should have its own voice at the partnership talks. The fact that it is such a vulnerable sector makes the case all the more compelling."