Ms Eileen Daly:

It is our belief that parents of disabled children need support to understand the social model of disability and the systematic barriers disabled people face. As a disabled persons' organisation, DPO, Independent Living Movement Ireland recognises that many of the so-called supportive structures mostly promote exclusionary practices that separate disabled people from their non-disabled peers in the home, at school, at work and in their social life.

We believe that capacity building is paramount to support parents in demanding their right to quality support in ensuring their children grow up to live good lives, and this includes the provision of inclusive education. Parents should not be forced into battling with healthcare professionals to get the supports their children need. Disabled children have rights, just like every other child. Parents must have access to appropriate and tailored person-centred supports that assist them with their parental duties, if and when required, and this must become an automatic right. They must also be supported to work and have a career if they so wish. They must not be forced to give up work, reduce their working hours, or not advance their careers just because they are obliged to stay at home. It is also worth mentioning that there is an additional cost factor for families of disabled children and adults.

Disabled women need access to appropriate healthcare that meets their specific needs. Many healthcare services are inaccessible. Last year, ILMI hosted a consultation session with disabled women from across Ireland. We heard stories about going for a mammogram or a CervicalCheck screening or seeking gynaecology services were stark. Disabled women want a dignified experience. It is their belief that healthcare professionals require disability equality training to understand the inequalities disabled women face.

Disabled women are more at risk of sexual abuse and violence than their non-disabled counterparts. They need access to accessible information and awareness training about what constitutes sexual abuse and violence. We want all related healthcare services and support agencies or groups that work with survivors to be well informed and well equipped to support us, and these services must also be easily accessible. We want disabled women to be empowered, to speak up and have a no-tolerance view of sexual abuse and violence.

It is worth noting that 63.7% of disabled women are mothers and yet they are barely referenced in our current maternity strategy. Moreover, disabled people are often denied the right to make reproductive decisions, including decisions about fertility, contraception, pregnancy, childbirth and parenting. This is a human rights violation. As disabled women, we do not want the powers-that-be to assess our ability to have children nor question our ability or skills to look after them. As women, it is our human right to have children if we so wish. All disabled people, if required-----