Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Ms Killeen mentioned Sweden as a country that has a much better record in upholding the rights of disabled people to work, with Ireland being at the opposite end of the spectrum in that regard. Across the full range of issues that impact on the disabled community, we see an egregious level of disadvantage, the abject neglect of services over many years, very high levels of poverty and dislocation of people with disabilities from their communities. Does Ms Killeen or any of the other witnesses have any thoughts on what might be underpinning how grave things have become for disabled people in Ireland compared with other countries that are doing things better? As somebody with a background in psychology, I am always very interested in trying to understand what are the deep-seated factors, sometimes conscious and sometimes unconscious, in society or in individuals that might be at play. Can those be overcome by policy changes or is there something more deep-seated that we need to address in this country?

I also have a general question for anybody who wants to answer. I believe we have more of a political focus on disability at the moment but not on the action that is needed. Do the witnesses feel more or less hopeful or pessimistic now than they did five or ten years ago in respect of disability rights and where we are going in this country?