Dr. Vivian Rath:

I want to add to the point raised by Councillor Bailey on the supports provided. One aspect that would be helpful, which was a recommendation we made, is to ensure reasonable accommodations are fully implemented for disabled candidates, as well as for disabled Deputies, councillors or anyone in a representative position. Currently, that is not really happening. It is certainly not happening for candidates. Reasonable accommodations are provided for under the legislation. The structures are already in place; it is just not happening. Reasonable accommodations provide supports to help disabled people engage fully in the workplace, school or other environment. It is only right and just that those same reasonable accommodations are allowable and fully implemented for disabled people. It is the same issue, as recently occurred, with Deputies or Ministers seeking to take maternity leave. We need to see the mainstreaming of these services across all parts of our services, whether people want to be a county councillor, be fully employed or be in school. It can be done very easily. The Oireachtas committee could have a big role to play in moving that forward. We laid out some of the steps in our presentation, to which Councillors Bailey and Cronnelly have highlighted the barriers. They are steps that the committee could take now and then look back on as successes. It would help and support the voice disabled people.

While I spoke out of turn, it was important to highlight that those structures are there but are not being implemented. I thank Councillor Bailey for her contribution on that also.