Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their time. It would have been great to have them here last week when officials from the Departments of Social Protection, Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Education, and Enterprise, Trade and Employment were before the committee. I asked the officials a question about disability-proofing of their policies and the need to look at any decision through a lens of human rights and equality. They kind of pushed the question off to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, as the line lead for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, CRPD. That is a massive problem and it was made clear in our engagement last week. We asked questions about how social welfare rules are perpetuating poverty. Again, we got no answers. In fact, we got responses but not answers.

I do not have many questions for the witnesses today. When they spoke about not being heard, everyone in this committee can empathise with that. We may not be able to empathise with the issues to the degree the witnesses experience them, but we understand their feeling of constantly not being heard. We are asking for people to look at things just a little differently. It is not necessarily about increased funds. Yes, funding is hugely important but it is really about making things better and looking at the reality of people's lives. I have listened to how Niamh has been flapped around by the Department. People are achieving things not because of, but despite of, their experience.

It has been fantastic to hear from the witnesses this morning. We should give the transcript of the discussion to the people who were here last week and the Department officials we see quite regularly. We are not being heard at this committee. We will make a pre-budget submission asking for things we have heard are needed and for a change in attitude. That is the change we are asking for the most. A change in attitude is free. We will ask that when we look at someone, we see him or her as a person and see his or her ability. We need to look at how a policy may be perpetuating poverty and misery. When people achieve things, in spite of all those barriers, we congratulate them and say "Well done". I am fed up of congratulating people for having to achieve things in spite of all the barriers. It is wrong. I applaud my friends and the people I love with disabilities just for doing well, as I would for anyone else.

I have heard many stories about the issues with Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus. A visually impaired person spoke to me about her experience of how a bus driver told her she did not look blind when she was asking for help. She was made crap of at the side of a country road when she asked whether it was the Dublin bus or some other bus. She did not want to get onto the wrong bus. There needs to be kindness and a change of attitude. Unfortunately, there has been nothing new at this meeting. We have heard it all previously, from the witnesses and from other advocates who have articulated many similar problems. The problem is the concreting of the issues and the attitudinal barrier in Departments at this time. To use a phrase from a television programme, "The computer says 'No'". Anybody who has watched "Little Britain" knows that is what we are getting.

As I said, I have no questions for the witnesses. I am continuously learning about the issues in order to reach an understanding. The witnesses should not have to come here today but I thank them for doing so. As Saoirse said, they should not have to keep making their case. I thank her for saying we are nice people but she and the other witnesses should not have to come here and tell us their life story, how they are battling and how the State is putting up barriers.