Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee and for their contributions. I want to declare that Eddie Hennessy is a personal friend of mine. Mr. Hennessy touched on the fact he was a full-time athlete. He played hurling and football. He represented Ireland at the highest level in judo and was Irish champion. In response to a question earlier, Professor Cooney explained how Mr. Hennessy had to do it himself. Mr. Hennessy technically died when he suffered his stroke. I remember when I saw him in hospital. To see where he is now is a miracle. When we look at the man he is now and consider where he came from - we speak about role models - what he has accomplished is unbelievable. His wife Margaret and his daughter Gráinne have supported him.

I do not know how many other people could have had the stroke and medical issues Mr. Hennessy had and got to where he is now. It is only because he was a full-time athlete. He was so driven. It is unbelievable to see him. I remember that when he got out to cycle, he could barely walk or stand. He got on the bike, however. At the time, Mr. Hennessy lived on the Sunbeam hill in Farranree. If anyone knows Cork, the will know that it is built on hills. The hill in question is very steep. Mr. Hennessy came out his door and went down that hill. Sean Kelly would not go down it. I remember it. I asked him if he was crazy. His speech at the time was not as good as it is now. Mr. Hennessy got cycling with no supports. Where were the wraparound services for a person to do rehabilitation to get there? It is only because he was the man he is that he did it. One day when he was out cycling, Mr. Hennessy fell over and broke his ankle because he could not stand. He had to sort that out and he got back on the bike again.

I remember coming out of City Hall after a Cork City Council meeting one Monday night. I was walking across the bridge and there was this guy with a camera. Eddie Hennessy had joined art to his cycling. I was having the crack with him about the photography. Then he set up a business. The one thing about Irish people as a whole, and certainly about Cork and the north side of Cork, is that people wanted to support Mr. Hennessy. Then people realised how brilliant a photographer he is. He was in huge demand. People were booking him two years ahead such was the level of his photography and his professionalism. He did all of this with the disability he has. Mr. Hennessy did everything to become an entrepreneur. He set it up but the system broke him down. Mr. Hennessy's story has been documented a few times and it is very inspirational but the end of it is so disheartening. If someone can do everything the way Eddie Hennessy did but cannot make it, I do not know who can.

One of the first questions I put to the Minister when I became a Deputy came about because Mr. Hennessy asked me about supporting disabled entrepreneurs. I tabled parliamentary questions and did everything I could in order to try to get an answer. There were times when it looked like the Department was going to come up with a system or a scheme but it never got there.

Mr. Hennessy said that it is too late for him now and that he is looking at other people down the road. That is why he is involved in this campaign. Professor Cooney outlined the figures. There are 643,000 people with disabilities. That is almost 14% of the population. This is why it is so important to come up with a solution. Professor Cooney spoke about a website so that people know about it. I am a Deputy. Perhaps I am remiss when it comes to my job but if someone with a disability approached me today and said they wanted to be an entrepreneur and asked where they could go, I would not be able to tell them. I would have to look and I am not sure that I could find it. There should be a dedicated website to let people know. It should be advertised. There should be pathways created for people to get into entrepreneurship.

There should also be supports. Mr. McCann and Professor Cooney made a point about the cut-off and people falling off a cliff. We have a resource here. The one thing I know about people with disabilities, and perhaps it is not everyone and I do not want to simplify it, is that we are dealing with individuals who have overcome severe adversity. They have built up a strength that puts them in a great position if they decide to set up their own businesses and become entrepreneurs. They have inner strength.

Mr. Hennessy touched on equality and Professor Cooney spoke about a one-stop shop. Many of the asks are not big. They would not cost a fortune. This needs a change of attitude towards supporting disabled entrepreneurs. This is why today's hearing is very important. Their voices should be heard and the Department should hear it. There are probably very good people in the Department but the problem is the red tape and bureaucracy. Earlier Mr. Hennessy made a point about contacting people. People should not have to fight for it. It is the same with all disability services, such as children looking for therapies and school places. Everything seems to be a fight when people have a disability or a member of the family has a disability. I hope we do everything we can to change the system and attitudes to support disabled entrepreneurs.

On a personal note, I am very proud to be sitting across from Eddie Hennessy. I never thought I would be here. After everything he went through, Mr. Hennessy is here giving evidence at an Oireachtas committee meeting. I know his family and friends will be very proud of him. I have only touched on a tiny bit of Mr. Hennessy's story. The adversity he has come through is phenomenal. When we listen to him, consider how eloquently he speaks, particularly in view of his disability, and see how thoughtfully he prepared his submission, we know how much he cares. It is a tragedy that he could not keep his business going because he was blocked. I hope he is successful in helping other people to do it.