Ms Jacqui Browne:

I thank the Chair and I wish everyone a good afternoon. My colleagues, Dr. John Bosco Conama and Mr. Derek Maguire, are in the room and between the three of us we have this opening statement. As the Chair mentioned in her introductory remarks, I am the chair of the DPO Network. We really welcome the opportunity to be here today and to have been invited to this very important discussion. To let members know, the DPO Network is an alliance of disabled people and our organisations.

There are five DPO member organisations, which have come together with a common interest in working towards the overall implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, in Ireland. The five DPO member organisations of the DPO Network are: AsIAm, Ireland's national autism advocacy organisation; Disabled Women Ireland; Independent Living Movement Ireland; the Irish Deaf Society; and the National Platform of Self Advocates. Importantly, the DPO Network is committed to the human rights and social model of disability. To be clear, this model says that the exclusion, inequality and discrimination that we as disabled people experience is not the consequence of our impairments, but a result of the economic, cultural, social and political barriers that are created and still persist in society today.

I will turn to some of the barriers to inclusion in sport. A recent report from Active Disability Ireland, which some committee members may have formerly known as Cara Sport Inclusion Ireland, carried out research in 2022 in consultation with disabled people, including the DPO Network. Its findings will be published shortly, but it has allowed me to share with the committee some of the results: 82% of disabled people surveyed said that physical activity was a priority for them; 76% said they had a right to be involved in sport; 66% said they still faced barriers to participation in sport; and 73% said they did not have enough support to become active in sport. These are stark figures and clearly show that disabled people face multiple barriers to inclusion in sport. We have the same motivations to be involved in sport and physical activity as everyone else. We want to stay fit and strong and we recognise that activity is important and good for our mental health and that it creates social opportunities for inclusion in society. However, we still face barriers that many others do not. These range from a lack of accessible facilities and equipment to a lack of disability and equality awareness, limited access to relevant and accessible information and, most of all, prohibitive costs. In addition to the lack of support structures, equipment and information, disabled people also face negative attitudes when attempting to get involved in sport, much of it couched in the language of risk. This can be seen as an expression of a medicalised view of disability and is a symptom of a lack of disability awareness and equality training in sports organisations, schools, gyms and communities in general.

Disabled people do not have access to resources and information that show how they can be involved in sport and activity, either at home or in a sports setting. This leads to a lack of confidence, which is also a barrier to our involvement. In addition, sports organisations do not advertise when events are inclusive or ensure that the information itself is presented in accessible formats for all. Accessibility in sports is a problem, with most general sporting equipment not selected with inclusion in mind or, indeed, designed based on the principles of universal design. The cost of the specialised equipment or personal assistance needed for disabled people creates another financial barrier to our involvement. Importantly for people from the autism community and people with neurodivergence issues, sensory processing, the environment, noise from equipment and the competitive nature of some sports can play a factor in some disabled people not feeling included in sports. There is a need for coaches and volunteers to receive equality training from DPOs and disabled practitioners to be culturally competent to include disabled people in sport.

As I am sure the committee will be well aware, Article 30 of the UNCRPD states that the Government must recognise the right of disabled people to take part on an equal basis with others in cultural life, recreation and sport. Among other matters, Article 30 calls on the Government to encourage and promote the participation of disabled people in mainstream sporting settings and activities at all levels; to ensure that disabled people have the opportunity to organise, develop and participate in disability-specific sports; to encourage appropriate instruction, training and resources on an equal basis with others; to ensure that disabled people have access to sporting venues and suchlike; to ensure that, importantly, children with disabilities have equal access with other children to participate in play, recreation, leisure and sporting activities, especially in the school system; and to ensure that disabled people have access to services from those involved in the organisation of sporting activities.

As noted, I have two deaf colleagues from the Irish Deaf Society with me today. In May, the Irish Deaf Society made a detailed submission to the committee. I am sure members are well aware of that submission, which contained much more information on language barriers, the importance of Irish Sign Language communications and interpretation, deaf awareness training, and the sign language interpreting service voucher scheme. It also called for Government support for the Deaflympics, which are the deaf Olympics. I am sure members might hear more about that through their questions.

I will make some concluding remarks and recommendations for the committee. We call for the development of a long-term strategy to deliver on Ireland's obligations under Article 30 of the UNCRPD to achieve the following recommendations: to create positive attitudes to inclusion through education and training, for example, disability awareness and equality training, including deaf awareness training; to improve accessible transport infrastructure to allow disabled people to access sporting organisations and various settings; to develop a strategy to increase inclusive opportunities for disabled people and ensure that information about them is widely communicated in an accessible manner; to support and promote the development of accessible facilities, environments and equipment; and to engage early with disabled people and their families to ensure positive and inclusive sporting activities and environments are accessible to all.