Dr. Mary Keogh:

I am still reflecting on the questions asked by the Senator, but I will try to respond in a coherent way. I will preface my reply by stating that I am not a representative of the disability community. I work for an organisation and, as such, I do not consider myself a representative in that sense.

Among the similarities between the disability movement in Ireland and that in the countries in which we work are the discrimination that is faced, which is pervasive in all countries, and the lack of accessibility to infrastructure. In Ireland, there is an expectation for that not to be the case, but it still is in some respects. In some of the countries in which we work, the available budget impacts on that because governments or the private sector do not have funding to invest in this area or doing so is not a priority. There is also a similarity in terms of cross-impairment or cross-disability solidarity.

A difference I have noted through the years is how accountability is viewed. In Ireland there is a strong disability movement which holds the Government to account and, in some cases, is adversarial in so doing as it may be warranted. In some of the countries in which we work, there is no space to take that approach or it may not be appropriate because it is about how it is possible to work together for solutions. That is a difference in approach arising from different contexts and different socio-economic, political and cultural backgrounds. There are definite similarities around solidarity and the discrimination faced in that regard. That was made evident at the conference of states parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which we attended this year.