Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am not so sure that we do have to wait. That is what we committed to but we are not alone. There are ten other countries which have not signed up for it. But 13% of Ireland's population have a disability. I am a new Deputy. When I was canvassing these groups they told me they only see politicians every five years, meaning at election time. In 2020, when we actually said that we would sign up to the protocol, it was an election ploy. That is their feeling and that is discriminatory. Thirteen percent of America's population are African Americans. Do you think that we would get away with discriminating in the same way in that population cohort? No we would not and we should not be doing it here. It is shambolic and we need to recognise the 13% and give them, the Leo Dixons of this world, the right to have somewhere to go to make their complaint when the Government cannot do it.

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