Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We are taking a punt that it is 2020. I am just trying to get a sense whether this is a stepping stone towards the statutory right. This piece took four years to get to here, which, obviously, is not quite halfway through the process. It is not the full process. I am trying to get a sense of how long it might take for that incredibly complex piece of work subsequent to this to be done. If we took four years to get to here, that is not looking good.

I read the consultation submissions in great detail. It has been very instructive to hear that conversation between Deputies Shortall and Cullinane around personal assistants. I am looking at the consultation responses. There is a question around clarity in terms of where the disability sector sits in this legislation. When Ms Larthwell was talking to Deputy Cullinane, she defaulted to the position that this is an older persons' sector. We now have the UNCRPD and the rights of persons with disabilities, which are very separate and distinct and put a very specific focus on the State to vindicate the rights of people with disabilities. Yet there seems to be a grey area regarding where that sits within this Bill. Could Ms Larthwell speak to that and provide clarity to people who are concerned about that issue? Could Professor O'Sullivan speak about the opinions he came across were on that issue?