Ms Renee Dempsey-Clifford:

I apologise. In trying to be well-behaved, I was perhaps too well-behaved. I intend to be brief. This has been a very interesting discussion and I am very conscious that the purpose of today's broad discussion concerns participation in political, cultural, community and public life. While we are talking about all the other elements, it goes to show a holistic approach is required and it is not just about one standalone issue; it is about society demonstrating the diversity that properly represents it.

I am always mystified and surprised to find that even with a constituency as large as 650,000 - and if each of those with a disability only had two people who care about them, believe me when I say there are more, we are talking about almost 2 million people either directly or indirectly affected by matters - there is still a failure in society to properly integrate people with disabilities in the normal and daily life to which they are entitled. On a personal basis I do not propose to give any examples because I would rather give the floor to people like Dr. Rath, Ms Costello and others in the group of witnesses who know what they are talking about from daily experience. If political and public life represented to a greater extent more people with disabilities, matters such as assessment of need would be sharper, more pointed and better understood by public representatives. Services would also be delivered in a better way because there would be clear and linked understanding of these issues. No matter what, until one walk's a mile in somebody's shoes, one does not know the realities. Councillor Cronnelly has made that point very appropriately. I thank the committee for its time.