Ms Andrée Murphy:

Senator Black's comments on having a place that begins here in Leinster House and the recommendations of the committee on having a unit or committee that starts here, brings all that learning into one place and can apply the different lenses to ensure participation and ensure people are not left behind are, with emerging needs and a changing Ireland, so important. That will ensure it can be responsive. That responsive process that can go into communities requires money to hire a room, make sure it is well ventilated and ensure that elderly people have transport to get there and that caring responsibilities are met.

On top of that, let us use a gender lens to make sure the people going to the meeting are not leaving the women behind looking after the kids and the granny. It has to be done on many levels by having everything in one place where there is learning and planning. Planning is key to participation. The recommendations at the beginning of the summer from this committee were useful in terms of that.