Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Our motion this evening addresses how supports for people with disabilities and their carers must be rights based. Táim sásta labhairt ar ár rún tráthnóna agus gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Tully as ucht an rúin seo. Tá sé an-tábhachtach gach cúram agus cúnamh a thabhairt do dhaoine faoi mhíchumas agus dá gclanna freisin.

After working in the disability sector before I was elected to this Chamber, the ratification of the optional protocol was always going to the first matter I raised during Questions on Policy or Legislation mar Theachta Dála do Chill Dara Thuaidh, agus is sin a rinne mé. I saw the Minister's email on the optional protocol popping into my inbox this afternoon agus thaispeáin sé dom cad atá tábhachtach don Rialtas seo. We are into the fifth year of this Government and you are announcing an interdepartmental group to accelerate its ratification. I do not mean to be disrespectful, but that merits a slow hand clap. I could talk all night about the damning indictment of continuous governments that parents have to spend years of their children's young lives not only as a mam and a dad but also as full-time campaigners. I could talk all night about parents from Naas up to Leixlip and every town in between contacting me about their autistic children needing assessments of need. I could talk all night about families in Kildare North crying out for respite.

Crucial to the rights-based republic is extending independent living supports. I have stood here often enough talking about men and women in north Kildare who are being denied their independent lives due to a lack of supports. The Aire Stáit, an Teachta Rabbitte, saw how wonderful it was when she visited Dara Community Living in Celbridge last year. Disabled people living their lives in the pursuit of their happiness - I love this unashamed aspiration in our Proclamation - is their right just because they were born in and are lucky enough to be citizens in their own right of our work-in-progress republic.

I and my party believe it is the responsibility of the State to vindicate the equal rights of disabled people. Ní féidir linn am ar bith a chailliúint

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