Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I would like to first welcome the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People. I particularly commend the fact that it was developed in partnership with disabled people, and the five key pillars in terms of inclusive learning and education, employment, independent living and active participation in society, well-being and health and transport and mobility.

Two Thursday's ago, I met with representatives from Dara Community Living, which is based in Celbridge in my constituency of Kildare North. They are doing incredible work with people with disabilities, and their service users shared many of their stories with me and the benefits of independent living. In looking at the five particular pillars, independent living and active participation is a core pillar of that, and the other pillars come in under those auspices as well. Some of the stories that were shared by the services users include that of one particular man, Paul, who has now gone on to write his own book. He is living independently. He has care staff who help and assist him with his day-to-day living. I heard from others as well. It is incredible to see the new lease of life that people with disabilities gain once they have that independent living.

What is more they have the opportunity to actually gain employment. We know that quite a number of people with disabilities are not in work. Some 32.6% of disabled people are in work compared to an EU average of 51.3%. What I would love to see as part of this strategy as it develops is working to really help people with disabilities gain employment because it comes back again to that piece around independent living and giving people with disabilities a role that they see fit and with which they are comfortable.

Many of them have excellent jobs on farms, for example. Michael, who I met, is working on a farm and loves working with the chickens and the animals. Other people are working in retail or in coffee shops. What they are looking for most of all is that ability to gain employment. Dara Community Living is doing excellent work in helping those people gain employment, but also gain their independence through independent living.

6 o’clock

I welcome the strategy. I ask that there be a particular focus on the independent living aspect. Obviously, employment plays a key role in that. As I said, I would like to welcome the strategy and commend the work of Dara Community Living and all other service providers throughout the State.

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