Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank all of the witnesses for taking the time to appear before the committee. Their insights are invaluable in helping us understand the lived reality of disability and discrimination. Unfortunately, we know disabled people are more likely to experience discrimination and for it to occur to them more frequently and it is more likely for it to have a serious impact on their lives. Most worryingly, it is a reality that people with disabilities mostly encounter discrimination in our health services.

My questions are for the Irish Thalidomide Association. There are no words for everything its members have endured throughout their lives, especially the discrimination they have all faced at the hands of the State. At all stages, all they have asked for is justice. Their statements today were a list of how the State and successive Governments have failed them with references to the UNCRPD. In their opening statements, the witnesses discussed the failure to provide for equality under the law and referenced Article 5.1 that "all persons are equal" and how that has failed them. It seems to be fundamental to the disgraceful treatment. Would the witnesses mind elaborating on how they and other survivors have been failed by this principle and the impact it has had on their lives?

I hope that some good can come out of this meeting. We have people come before committees all the time and, ultimately, something has to come from them taking the time to appear before us.

Would the witnesses mind outlining the supports they receive at present and the gaps and unmet needs there? What changes are needed in the services to appropriately meet their needs? That would give us an insight. The witnesses referenced the principles of the UNCRPD. We often discuss in this committee the need to ratify the optional protocol to the convention. We have heard from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and the UN special rapporteur on disability that we could ratify tomorrow.

When we have these public hearings, it is important for us to know what difference that would make to the witnesses' lived experience, when we hear about everything that is going on and how outrageous it is. If the UNCRPD was ratified and the State was obliged to meet their needs, how much of an impact would that have and what unmet needs would be met?