Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I thank Professor Quinn. I hope everything is well in Galway. I will be down there tomorrow night. I ask him to keep it safe for me. His opening remarks were very critical in terms of the language he used. As the Chairman said, there are many lines we can take from it for the committee. One of my questions also concerns what Deputy Hourigan said about measuring progress. Last week, we heard that surveys are not really the way to do it. We need to talk to people and let them tell us, but we also need to dig deeper than just to get people's feelings or what they believe is happening. I would welcome Professor Quinn's thoughts on that.

How do we get the legislation on a trajectory where we can see what is happening when and that we ensure we get it over the line? In terms of dealing with disabilities, what local authorities say is that they will do it if they have the resources. It gets done if it is the law, so we need to make sure that we get the resources but also that we back things up with the law to ensure progress.

The committee will have to interact to a significant extent with people with disabilities and their families right across the spectrum from when children are born to when they are older. In my experience of public life, I have seen many issues arise. Professor Quinn alluded himself to the fact that the law is words on paper, as is the UN convention, but they require implementation and action. What seems to happen is that gaps appear in every facet of service provision at the transition point, for example, from young children to teenage years to adulthood. At each stage families have to start again because of the gaps. Families have to fight for everything. I would welcome Professor Quinn's views on that and how we can put the teeth that are required into all of the words that we have.