Mr. Paul Alford:

I want to respond to Deputy Brady. He asked me whether Brian is here today but he is not because he works for the disability services at Beechmount in Navan and for Prosper Fingal. When he is not there he works with me for the eight hours. My personal budget is great. Before I had a budget I had no choice in my support, or in the house about when I went to bed or got up. I did not socialise. Now I have a budget of my own. I chose everything in my own house.

I can now cook and I socialise in my community, where I have made lots of friends and met many neighbours since I moved in. Three years after moving out, I have a new life living on my own and getting the right support. I use the budget to provide that support, which is a very good thing. I want to see more people with disabilities move out of these services to choose their own supports and get the right place to live.