Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am involved in women's rights, including the rights of Traveller women, and women from other ethnic minorities. You see very few women with disabilities involved in the women's movement in Ireland. We want a women's movement and gender equality for women but for which women? Having listened to the witnesses the lack of engagement was really driven home to me. It is not the fault of women with disabilities but that of society, which does not engage with women with disabilities. Many Traveller women are fearful of the likes of Tusla. We fear our children being taken from us. I am a public representative and even I fear Tusla because I was reared that way when it comes to children being put into care. Do women with disabilities get treated with dignity and respect by Tusla?

I do not have questions here in front of me. This is from listening to some of the questions and from listening to our guests speak. Post-natal depression is something that women can experience after they have a child. I want to know whether there should be special supports, not special treatment, put in place for disabled women when it comes to post-natal depression.

On the PA, I have been working with Independent Living Movement Ireland around ensuring every person in the country who needs a PA should have a PA. How do we make that happen for disabled people who want to have children? How do we give that full support for disabled women?

As for refuges for keeping women safe, a lot of the women's refuges are not fit for purpose. This is no fault of the workers in the refuges. I refer to that wraparound support for women, and especially women from the Traveller community. For a woman with a disability who is with a violent domestic partner, does she have equal access to a safe refuge? If not, why not? Are refuges wheelchair accessible? Do they have people in the refuges who are trained to work with people with a disability?

In general, I believe that women with a disability are at the margins of society when it comes to the women's movement in this country. I would like to hear our guests thoughts on that in general.

On maternity hospitals, there are very similar inequalities that should not be accepted today in this country for any woman, no matter her background, ability, disability, etc. It is as if you do not have the brain or the capacity to make your own choices through maternity services. Even two years ago, when I had my daughter, Lacey, and was in here serving, the doctors felt they knew what was best for me. It was a stroke of luck that I stayed in the hospital, because I had her all hours at night and not feeling well. I was told that I was going home the next day, there was nothing wrong with me and that everything was fine with the baby but, because I was a member of the Traveller community, even though I am sitting in here, they did not give - you know - about me. They just saw the Traveller. This is what happens with disabled women as well. How can we change that? How can we change that for women's voices and, while I do not like using the phrase "vulnerable women", especially for women who have less opportunity because of their disability or because of the background they are from?

I thank our guests so much for coming before the committee virtually today to give their opinions.