The Government has announced funding of €900 million for disability services as part of a strategy announced today.
The Taoiseach, Tánaiste, and eight ministers launched six "sectoral plans" that will be implemented by Government departments in the areas of education, communications, local government, employment, health, transport and social affairs.
They were drawn up in consultation with the National Disability Authority and 500 representative groups and are being submitted to the Oireachtas in accordance with the Disability Act 2005.
The plans involve assessing the individual needs of all people with disabilities by 2011, improving accessibility to public buildings, increasing income support for carers and making accessilibilty compulsory on public transport.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said the plans were a "detailed roadmap" of the improvements that will be made over the coming years.
"The plans set out how services will be improved to make them more accessible to people with a disability, including physical access to buildings, public transport and communications services," he said.
"They will also ensure better opportunities for training and employment for people with a disability, helping them to achieve more independence and fulfilment in their lives."
Mr Ahern denied the Government was merely electioneering in its timing of the plans, saying the election was the last thing on his mind.
"We have spent five years on this. It was an enormous task to come up with a comprehensive and complete plan. That's why it's taken so long," he said.
Tánaiste Mary Harney said today was a significant day for people with disabilities. "These are tangible plans and not aspirations," she said.
"There's a perception out there that if you're in a wheelchair you don't have a brain. That mindset needs to change," she said.
Minister for Finance Brian Cowen said the civil service had exceeded the 3 per cent employment quota for people with disabilities and now employed 7 per cent. He called on the private sector to be more proactive in hiring people with disabilities.