Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The witnesses are very welcome to our committee meeting. I congratulate them on all the work they do because it is priceless work. It is for the most vulnerable in the most heartbreaking situations, so it is wonderful. Going back to what we are talking about this evening, it is fascinating how we transfer our goals under the UNCRPD and make sure that our moral and ethical compass here in Ireland and on this committee is transposed in other countries. Going on that, from the Department's point of view, can the Department mandate that expenditure be disability-proofed? How do we move to make sure that all Irish aid is disability-proofed? Going back to what was said there about the mapping, that 24% of Ireland's ODA is disability-inclusive, what does that look like? What is disability-inclusive, and how do we make sure that is 100%? There is a big gap there, so what does it look like now, and how do we, in the Parliament, support the Department in making sure that 100% of all ODA is disability-inclusive? Our goal on this committee is to ensure that every act of the Government is disability-inclusive. How does Ireland take that lead?

Mr. Roughneen mentioned in his speech that the Better World policy references disability three times. I will put Mr. Gaffey under pressure again.

When the policy was designed, in good faith, were DPOs engaged? Have policymakers been trained in what the UNCRPD is and what disability-proofing is? Are the people currently working in Irish Aid trained in disability equity and disability equality and indeed to create policies that are disability proofed?

We see now the world is in turmoil. I was struck by the figure that, of the 15% of the world population living with disability, 80% of those live in developing countries. That is a frightening figure. It just shows the importance of the work the witnesses do. How can we work this out? In times of conflict we go into panic mode and there is chaos. Chaos does not provide for a straight line and a fulfilling of plans. How do the Irish Government, the State the UN and Irish Aid support a framework for organisations to make sure all those supports on the ground - the peacekeepers and all the support workers - have that disability-inclusive training and make sure, even in chaos, the UNCRPD is being pushed to its utmost potential? War creates disabled people through injury and through conflict. There is a lot there, so I would like the witnesses' thoughts.