Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for giving up their time. They are very generous with their time. It is not the first time most of them have appeared before the committee and shared with us their expertise on disability. They are the experts on disability and all issues relating to disability. This is a day for listening so we are here to listen and learn. While we have heard many of the issues raised by the witnesses before, it is important we hear them again and again and that they are reinforced. Many of the witnesses raised common issues. They made the point that there needs to be engagement between disabled people's organisations, DPOs, or disabled people's representative organisations, DPROs, and all public bodies, Departments and Government agencies from the outset. It should not happen halfway through a project and should not be, as Ms Browne called it, a box-ticking exercise or afterthought. It needs to happen from the start and that cannot happen until a proper register of DPOs is drawn up. Several of the witnesses raised that point and it is important.

The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and one of her officials gave a commitment to do that, although they initially said it would not happen. They did so in the audiovisual room a few months ago when a number of the witnesses were present. Work will be involved in doing it. Even the drawing up and compiling of the register needs to be done by engaging with DPOs and in accordance with the UNCRPD. Both of those are important. When the register has been drawn up - quickly but properly - it will be vital because it will signpost and make clear to all Government agencies, public bodies and so on who they need to engage with on every policy going forward. No one will be able to say he, she or they did not know who to engage with or that they thought the other organisation was the right one to engage with. That is important and this committee needs to follow up on it. We give a commitment that we will find out where it is at and how soon it can be done.

The witnesses all outlined the fact that many DPOs are made up of volunteers who give of their time freely and sometimes it costs them money because they have to take time off work or pay for the different supports they need to be able to engage. Those are all things that also need to be addressed. DPOs need to be properly financed and supported so that the people who are members of DPOs can participate and engage with committees like this or public bodies. It also needs to be done at a time that suits. I have heard disabled people say many times that they were the only unpaid person in the room. All the other officials were there as part of their work and therefore being paid, but no consideration was given to the people who had to take time off work, give up their time or organise childcare. All the barriers that exist to getting there and participating were not even considered and those people were the experts in the room. All those things need to be recognised and addressed and the register will be important in doing that.

Another important point that was made is that if payment for participation is arranged, as it should be, it should not affect disability allowance or the blind pension. There are ways of addressing that.

It is being done in other jurisdictions and it needs to be done here as well. Again, it should be done in consultation with other people in order that it is done in a proper way and is not seen as a charity or whatever.

I thank the witnesses for their time and engagement and for everything they have put forward. It has been very important. I have enjoyed listening to all their contributions here this morning. They have made very important points which we will take on board and pursue. We will continue to engage with them on a regular basis.