Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 1 December 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters

Disability Inclusive Participation in Political and Public Life: Discussion

Mr. Ciar?n Delaney:

If the Chair is agreeable, in the interests of time, I will circulate some information on polling stations because I have carried out research on that. To respond to Senator McGreehan, there have been some fantastic returning officers, especially in Cork and Limerick. Prior to the most recent general election, there was a reduction in the number of polling stations with access issues in one of those counties from 11 to two, which is not bad.

Turning to Deputy Ellis's questions, Dermot Devlin is the guy behind the Northern Ireland Disabled People’s Parliament. I am in contact with him at the moment. As I said, we have a commitment from the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad that there will be an event. I am going to co-ordinate with him and other Members, and Senator Buttimer has been very supportive of that. We will be working as a DPO in 2023 to set up a similar organisation called comhairle na míchumasach, which will replicate Comhairle na nÓg.