Ms Fiona Weldon:

The other witnesses have covered what I was going to bring up. The lack of a personal assistant service is very stark in Ireland. If we had a rights-based approach to personal assistants some of the inequality that disabled people face would not be there with regard to access to education and living the normal rhythm of life. Many disabled people are forced to use supports they do not want to use. They do not have choice, autonomy or self-determination. Disabled people are less likely to have meaningful jobs than their non-disabled counterparts. The other witnesses have made the other points I was going to make.