The Minister of State for Disability faced a united opposition in the Dáil last night.
Almost 70 TDs across all parties unified to call for increased resources and investment in services for people with disabilities.
The private members' motion was debated during Sinn Féin’s private members’ time.
Few on the opposition benches questioned Minister Anne Rabbitte’s efforts or "bona fides", as the Independent TD Catherine Connolly put it, however frustration from the Opposition benches was palpable during the debate.
The minister said she understood the frustration day service users felt over the lack of resumption of disability services.
She told the Dáil she had been up and down the country to meet service providers.
The minister also noted that more than €30m in funding had been secured for the sector.
She said she fought for every euro of funding secured since the current Government took office, which she said was "a tangible indication" of her commitment to fight for people with disabilities and their families.
Break the funding down though and it is the 1% reverse cut announced in July (€20m), plus the €10m announced at the tail end of the Health Service Executive Winter Plan and €5m previously assigned.
In the current climate, disability representative organisations say €35m is a drop in the ocean.
Even before Covid-19, people with disabilities faced huge hurdles such as poverty, discrimination, low employment levels, which according to Holly Cairns of the Social Democrats have been magnified by the pandemic.
Transport, staffing, respite, capacity in locations and personal assistance hours were all noted as key needs by Sinn Féin's Pauline Tully.
Her party colleague Kathleen Funchion and the Independent TD Carol Nolan pointed out the effect on wider children's services as waiting lists grow.
Labour Leader Alan Kelly said the Government needed to prioritise disability alongside the minister.
He said the Budget would have to deliver next week because current funding is not sustainable for the needs presenting.
Independent Thomas Pringle noted the countless times he spoke about disabilities in the last Dáil and expressed hope that the issue would finally be dealt with by the current Government.
Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit said in every sphere of life, equality was not a reality for people with disabilities, while RISE TD Paul Murphy said poverty rates for people with disabilities are 10% higher in Ireland than the EU average.
Ireland, he said, is among the worst five countries due to underfunding over decades. And he called for an increase in the Disability and Carer’s Allowance.
Independent TD Sean Canney called for a "two-pronged approach" and stressed the need for capital funding alongside the growing demand for children's services and older families providing care.
The issue of older carers was also raised by the Aontú leader Peadar Tobín, who said the resilience of older carers was significantly stretched by the lack of funding to the sector.
The motion was rejected by the Government.
Minister with responsibility for Older People and Mental Health Mary Butler described the €10m funding announced in the HSE Winter Plan for disability services as "a first step".
The Disability Federation last night questioned what steps 2, 3 and 4 could be, if the Government "opposes and blocks a motion to provide sustainable funding on disability".
Chair of the new Oireachtas committee on Disability Matters Fianna Fáil’s Michael Moynihan advised Minister Rabbitte to "rattle the cage" to get the most amount of funding possible.
