Disability-proofing is a strategy that ensures the needs of people with a disability are considered and that their needs are included in the development, as well as the delivery, of policies and practices at the earliest possible stage. In the upcoming budget, will the Government ensure that a mechanism is in place to ensure that the Government will disability-proof its budgetary proposals and ensure those proposals are in line with the principles of the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities?

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I assure him that as part of the discussions on the next budget, progressing the services available to those with disabilities will be a key priority. It is something on which the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, has focused and done very strong work. The Government has taken the significant step, as part of its programme for Government commitments, to move responsibility for disability from the Department of Health to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. We have provided that Department with a budget to significantly improve services in the country. I assure the Deputy that in the context of the upcoming budget, it will remain very much to the forefront of our considerations and planning.