Ms Kathryn O'Shea:

I am the chairperson of Inclusion Ireland and am also a parent of two young adults with disabilities. I thank the Chairman for the invitation to address the committee. Inclusion Ireland is a national, rights-based advocacy organisation that works to promote the rights of people with an intellectual disability. Our work is underpinned by the values of dignity, inclusion, social justice, democracy and autonomy.

Health and well-being matter. The United Nations recognises the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings around the world, and the importance of their recognition in public policy objectives. Research shows that adults with a disability experience multiple quality-of-life challenges, including poor health, mental distress and housing problems and it is clear that Ireland must improve. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities offers us a way to address the challenges and our presentation today focuses on three of the UNCRPD articles, all of which are relevant to this particular committee, namely, Article 25 on health, Article 12 on equal recognition before the law and Article 19 on living independently and community inclusion.