Dr. Mary Keogh:

I will just mainly follow on without repeating much of what Ms Naughton said. I will just kind of give some specific examples.

On climate and energy, that is a very valid point because it links in with the cost of living at the moment. Even taking a step back to look at when we talk about the development of climate action plans that happen at national level, it is very rare that organisations of persons with disabilities are actually part of that consultation that helps shape those plans. That brings out that bigger policy piece that needs to be thought through. There will be research launched in the coming weeks which will show, out of all of the national climate action plans worldwide, there is a very small percentage, perhaps ten to 12 countries, that have actually included some examples of thinking around disability inclusion and climate action. Do not quote me on that exactly, but it is literally that small. Colleagues in McGill University are doing this research and will be publishing it soon. As Ms Naughton said as well in terms of the humanitarian response, it is about putting organisations of persons with disabilities into these decision-making rooms and being able to shape these policies. These are critical, whether it fits within a vulnerable subgroup that is set up under a Covid response or at a national level.

I can give some examples in the countries we work in. When we think of the Covid response in Ireland, obviously it was an emergency that landed on everyone’s doorstep without any planning, so we were playing catch-up the whole time. As I said, the reflection piece that will come later will show where the gaps are and we are know where gaps are. Within the countries we work in, even getting access to vaccines for persons with disabilities, such as in Madagascar, where vaccines are not actually available, is a critical issue. There are all of these kind of universal pieces of access and consultation that are needed to help drive responses, whether they are to climate or the pandemic.

The Deputy also raised a question around data. Ms Naughton spoke about the data coming from the work the EDF is doing on its members. We know also that there are major gaps in data around persons with disabilities worldwide. Some of the research that was done by the International Disability Rights Monitor in terms of Covid was looking at gathering that data and showing where the gaps were. The UK showed the numbers of death of persons with disabilities, but in many other countries it is not recorded. Similarly, for any other type of emergency, it is not there. That is something to think about from the committee’s perspective. Ireland has been progressive around kind of the Washington Group questions and even doing national surveys on the experiences of persons with disabilities. That is something we can showcase to others in terms of how to use that type of data gathering.

On climate action, Ireland is on the Security Council at the moment and seen as kind of one of those small governments that is able to really influence policy.

Being able to push for inclusion in regard to climate action and try to drive it forward, in partnership with organisations here in Ireland, really is critical.