Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have two questions. One is specific and one is more general. In relation to health, Dr. Connolly's presentation was really interesting. Regarding disability, the Republic differs from Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England in that we do not have any legal obligation on the State to provide therapies for people with disabilities. Neither do we have any legal obligation in the Republic to provide carers or carer hours for people with disabilities and, as a consequence, people like my son have not had any therapies for more than ten years. I know from talking to other parents - I meet people on ferries and abroad - that the situation in Northern Ireland seems to be an awful lot better. Is there any specific research in that area on the outcomes for people with disabilities from which we, in the Republic, could learn in the context of an overall island solution, if that ever happens?

I thank the witnesses for the presentations, which were really interesting. There was something in Professor O'Leary's remarks that prompted a question. There is a lot of research on trade, health, education and the economy. That is just a little sample and there must be broader areas of research.

However, in the context of what might happen next on the island, is research being carried out into the administration of justice, policing, security, intelligence, defence and neutrality in the context of an all-island entity that may be coming down the tracks very quickly? I believe it will be in less than ten or 15 years, whether we are ready or not. My colleagues from DCU, Ulster University and Queens University Belfast might address that later.