Ms Maureen McGovern:

I wish to respond to the two most recent contributions. In terms of living locally, as a disabled feminist, it has been really difficult for me and for other disabled women in my local area to participate. There are many reasons for this, one of which is a lack of resources. Some people might need transport to get somewhere, even though it might be in their local area. Personal assistants are also an issue, as are other resources like sign language interpreters. Public buses, for example, only have room for one disabled person which causes difficulties. If one is at bus stop number two, one might not get on because there was a disabled person at bus stop number one or a person with a pram. These issues cause great difficulty for people.

Attitudes are also an issue. Women are often seen as the ones who take care of disabled people and that is an attitude that we must overcome and negotiate. In terms of data on violence against disabled women, we do not have enough. Resources are needed for a research project to be conducted across the length and breadth of Ireland to find out where there is violence and why it is happening. We do not really know what is happening to disabled women in very rural areas, for example. Violence might also mean my personal assistant or carer taking away my wheelchair until he or she is ready to bring it back. We really have to build the capacity of disabled women to identify violence. Often disabled women are afraid that their services will be taken away if they complain but that is not acceptable any more. I have a right to services and a right to participate in society at every level. It is really important that disabled women at a local and national level are resourced to support themselves.