Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail)
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I had to skip out to another committee meeting so I apologise if I repeat anything that has been asked. Reading all the witnesses' contributions and listening to this engagement has been worthwhile. I have seen issues from loads of different angles. After last week's engagement I felt deflated, having heard about the lengthy timeline for the depopulation of congregated settings. However, listening to practitioners, people who are directly affected and people such as today's witnesses gives me a little hope and a little knowledge as to how we move on. Overall, why do the witnesses think we are so slow? Where have we gone so wrong that so many among our population are seen and not heard, and how can we change that? The committee is dedicated to implementing the UNCRPD, but how do the witnesses see our role in that regard? What can we do on the committee to start advocating for what Professor Gulati talked about, which is people going into a prison setting and people potentially being put into an inappropriate congregated setting? Where can we now go to engage with the Department to ensure there is a triage between being diagnosed or treated and then being pushed into an inappropriate setting?

I was blown away by Ms Fitzpatrick and her beautiful brother. It was wonderful to hear such a positive story, but how do we provide that choice for everybody? Bubo is safe and in a community, as she said, and he is happy, but, as Ms Flanagan said, there is a lack of choice and a lack of personal assistants and there is so much work to be done. What are the witnesses' thoughts on that? They are to the fore of this. I thank them all because the discussion has been engaging.