Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I apologise for being late. I was held up at another meeting. I have some experience of St. Michael’s House from the Special Olympics. It has a really good programme. I worked as a volunteer with the Special Olympics at one point and then with the 2023 World Games with Mary Davis who used to work with St. Michael’s House. It runs a very good programme, on which I commend it.

We are looking at the whole rights-based area now, which is an important one.

I have a brother who is a service user in Kare in Kildare and I am conscious of the need for him to have the opportunity to voice his concerns, wishes and desires. I am interested in hearing about the consultation that is carried out by St. Michael's House and the policy with regard to decisions that impact service users. Ms Reynolds might talk just a little bit about that in regard to both the consultation with the service users and with their families, because families are impacted as well.

Choice is key in moving to a rights-based service delivery. How is choice realised within St. Michael's House disability services? I also wish to ask about the availability of independent advocacy for service users. How does St. Michael's House deal with that?