Ms Sinéad Gibney:

In our recommendations we note that denial of access for people with disabilities is in itself discrimination. The CRPD is going to be helpful for this committee in the framing of this legislation. The CRPD principles should be front and centre. There should be inclusion by design throughout.

The other areas that reference this throughout the legislation are particularly in reference to children with disabilities and the specific group that they comprise. Part of this is a procedural issue for us and it comes through in our recommendations. It is the question as to whether there is participation of people with disabilities throughout?

We encourage this committee to invite organisations representing disabled people to come and speak to it directly about issues of accessibility. That ongoing participation should be baked into the commission. Ultimately, we would advise that the commission should be a diverse representation of Irish society. Like our organisation, membership of the commission could have the lived experience of disability within its ranks. Engagement and participation should be an ongoing function of the commission. If the commission were to transpose or incorporate a public sector duty type of wording within its legislation, it would guarantee that because it would give the commission, on a statutory footing, a duty to eliminate discrimination throughout. Dr. Michael may wish to add to that.