Ms Niamh Carty:

That is a lot of questions. We all very much appreciate the suggestion of an annual engagement on this issue. In terms of the agenda for such an engagement and the kinds of issues it would be useful to address, one could look to any of the priorities being laid out in A Better World, in regard to which the committee has a significant role in terms of oversight of its implementation. It would be very helpful for the commitments on disability to be considered in the context of the overall commitments being made as part of the collective aid effort emanating from the State through our agencies and Irish Aid among others, which fall under the remit of the committee. It would be very welcome for consideration to be given to whether the commitments are being met, whether implementation reflects the kind of commitments being made, and the outcomes for people, and to focus very much on those outcomes at programme level. It would be of use to touch on some of the higher level primary issues to which we referred in terms of budgeting or the ring-fencing of funding for disability within the budget. There are a range of issues which would need to be covered on the agenda and they will arise for other priorities within A Better World. On this issue, we would welcome that the committee would give specific consideration regularly to disability issues. My colleagues may wish to comment.