Ms Derval McDonagh:

I agree wholeheartedly with all of the points that have been made. I have spoken before at this committee on the particular experience of people with intellectual disability and the consultation processes. The consultation processes are often insultingly short for people. That continues to this day despite the efforts of people with intellectual disabilities such as Ms Coates and other colleagues of mine who continually give their feedback in every policy submission that the consultation window is so short. The materials that are provided as part of the consultation are often completely inaccessible, inappropriate and not in formats that are at all suitable for people. That is one thing on the process itself but time and again, we hear about consultation fatigue. Disabled people are absolutely tired of being consulted. It should not be just about consultation. We should be moving way beyond consultation and into real, meaningful participation. The next step of that is co-creation of services and supports. We are still not on the first rung of that ladder. We are not even getting the consultation part of that right yet. That is disappointing to people at this stage.

One example of that is around the budget process every year. DPOs around the country, civil society organisations and NGOs which spend hours, days and weeks putting together really comprehensive budget submissions but on budget day the information given out is completely inaccessible to the average person. It is not disability proofed. No one understands exactly what it will mean for a disabled person on the ground in terms of their lives and the changes to their lives. We would love to see even that process looked at and tackled because ultimately it sets out the targets for the next year and what will be addressed. However, on budget day, it is a mystery to most people around the country what is going to happen with that money.

Finally, on consultation, participation and co-creation, when there is a very segregated government system where Departments do not necessarily speak to one another or communicate among another in ways that are always effective, it is the disabled person who falls between those cracks continually. The national disability inclusion strategy is at the end of the road and there will a new iteration and a consultation process around that for disabled people over the coming months. We feel the new iteration should be called the new UNCRPD action plan and it should sit in the office of An Taoiseach to give it due weight and consideration. In that way, you might get more of that cross-departmental thinking and working because there is no point in talking about a house without talking about the supports to live there or about transport without talking about community. You have to link it all up together. Individual Departments consulting on things is missing out on the big picture around disabled people's lives.