C?r Doyle:

When considering this capacity-building, we must also make allowances for DPOs as they develop their knowledge of the processes we are asked to engage with. For example, writing submissions can be intimidating. I was lucky to receive informal peer support from the amazing volunteers in Disabled Women Ireland when I wrote my first submission. However, we cannot allow rigid bureaucracy standards to be a barrier to emerging or smaller DPOs from engaging with the State.

When discussing capacity-building it is imperative to mention that a disabled person's ability to engage voluntarily should not be held against them when considering payments such as disability allowance. Most DPOs, if not all, are understanding of fluctuating capacities in a way that is not currently understood by the greater society. Take me for instance - I am here today, but that is due to the support of my family and the team in Neuro Pride Ireland. These occasional engagements are not indicative of my or any other disabled person's ability to engage in full-time or even part-time employment. If this DPO engagement endangers a disabled person's income, that in itself is a barrier.

While I am conscious time is nearly up, I implore the committee to also consider the need for safe spaces to allow for intersectional consultations for multiply-marginalised disabled people and the need for a registration of DPOs vetted with minimum bureaucracy requirements so as not to be a barrier for neurodivergent people or those with intellectual disabilities. We should not have to be a registered charity or CLG to be able to engage as a DPO. The need to compensate us for our labour is also important, including, for example, travel allowance and childcare. We are carers and we also work. We cannot afford to take time off for multiple consultations. There is the need for accessible information and meetings, whether that is information about the air quality, masks or guidelines on what to expect. The more informed we are the better. It allows us to make informed decisions. We need to keep the door open for smaller, emergent DPOs to join the conversation.

I encourage all members to reflect on the amazing work that has already been done in this area, especially UNCRPD general comment 7 and the DPO Network Position Paper 1. Once again, we thank committee members for this opportunity. We look forward to engaging with them on this topic today and in the future.