Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent)
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I join the others in extending to Professor Quinn my warmest congratulations. I was delighted that he was appointed to his role. Of course, I am delighted as a Galwegian but, most important, we are now in our national roles and Professor Quinn is in his international role.

It was interesting that Professor Quinn commented on foreign policy. In his new international role, I encourage him to engage with us always where there are points of policy coherence. He mentioned overseas aid and the question of how we can be consistent in championing these issues. Are there other areas he wants to flag in terms of international policy coherence, not just concerning Ireland? I am thinking of areas where these issues are forgotten and where the relevance is sometimes neglected.

I want to focus on what Professor Quinn said about "obligations of immediate effect and obligations of .... progressive realisation". As I understand it, civil and political rights are the obligations of immediate effect. Could Professor Quinn give some examples? The right to private and family life and the right to choose where and with whom one lives, for example, are important. Questions of participation, including public participation, arise in this context. Education, as a very large bloc, and the health system and transport are easier areas in which to speak of rights but I am referring to civil and political rights such as the rights to political or civil participation and social and cultural participation. Do they fall into that space? How can we address them?

I would really appreciate it if Professor Quinn could comment on regressive steps. While, on the one side, there is the work on progressive realisation, designated resources and the momentum or direction of positive change, are retrogressive steps more than just steps that attack the rights of somebody? When major steps forward as a State, such as substantial capital expenditure on schools, as Professor Quinn mentioned, or on social housing, fail to take account of or acknowledge the rights of persons with disabilities, do they become regressive? I am not referring to a step that is simply hostile per sebut to one that involves negligence through omission. Can it be read as a retrogressive step?

Deputy Hourigan rightly pointed out the problem whereby so much is dependent on procurement and outsourcing within Ireland. Some outsourcing is to the voluntary sector and some is to the private sector. How do we ensure our resource allocation as a State is responsible and cognisant of the UNCRPD?

Could Professor Quinn comment specifically on universal design and how it might be incorporated? It is the very literal part of the architecture of change. I am definitely noticing what Professor Quinn mentioned regarding Article 33. How we intersect with other treaties will be important. It could be that a stronger implementation mechanism for the UNCRPD and rights could set a useful example.

I thank Professor Quinn. I hope this engagement will be ongoing.