Mr. Paul Alford:

Thank you, Chair, for having me here. I am an advocate working with Inclusion Ireland for the past 18 years. I will talk to the committee about my experience living in institutions and what my life is like now. Between 1983 and 1990, I lived in an institution where we lived in dormitories. I did not have any choice over what to eat and what time I went to bed or got up. In 1990, I moved to a group home where I shared a room with one other person. I had to get permission to go out and let staff know where I was going. I worked in workshops and a shop. The work was hard and the pay was very bad. Then, I worked in a nursing home and I was not happy. I was not properly paid for all the work I was doing.

I talked to FÁS about getting a new job and then I talked to a social worker. In 2003, the social worker helped me to get a job in Shadowbox theatre company in Bray. It was a FÁS job and it was the first time that I got proper wages. The hours were very long, but I really enjoyed the work. My first holiday that I went on my own was to Australia. The institution I was living in did not want me to go. On 16 August 2005, I started working with Inclusion Ireland. It was my first proper job.

One day, I went to a meeting with my CEO at the time. At the meeting, I said that the institution and my family did not want me to leave. We got some help from Possibilities Plus to find my own place. It took me three years to find a place with support. In 2008, I moved out to an independent living home. I had to learn how to cook my own meals, do my washing and other things. It was the first time that I had a room on my own. I got to choose my own supporter, when I moved out. This was so important to me because, until then, I never had a choice about who was working with me. I read all the CVs and then we had interviews. I picked the person who suited me and my life.

It is not what the staff want; it is what the person wants. Staff are not here to tell you what to do. I had to learn about that, because I was so used to being told what to do. I think I am still learning about this years later. Now I work with Inclusion Ireland. I do considerable work on easy-to-read information. I also give talks on my life story and I try to help other people. It is my life and my choice. I want everyone to have that chance. Thank you for having me and for listening to me.