Ms Lorna McGreehan:

The pathway that Deputy Canney and Senator Seery Kearney spoke of sounds like a wonderful thing whereby we could go into a one-stop-shop and say this is my condition and ask what can I do? There is always the fear, however. It is like the social welfare fear of going in and asking for something. Sometimes it is the embarrassment. Maybe it is the disability awareness training that some people need to have to deal with people. We are not liars. Just because I look fine and look grand does not mean that I do not suffer with a problem or a disability.

There are costs associated with lupus. I am again very lucky. I have a wonderful family who supported me when I had nothing. I work every day but I only live to work because I have not got the energy to do anything else on the other days. Again, I am in the lucky position that I have a job but just because I have a job does not mean that I should be grateful, like I said, when other things are available to make my job easier. It would be wonderful if there were more people with disabilities throughout all Government Departments and people were being promoted within them. There is an initiative to get something like 20% of people with disabilities working in the public sector. If we could be-----