Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to give a big shout-out to Dublin 8, which came 15th in the world ranking of "coolest" neighbourhoods to live in. It is an area that is full of historic places and fantastic eateries, and everybody should make it their business to visit Dublin 8 as well as other areas in Dublin South-Central.

I wish to raise a serious issue and ask for a debate on it. I have just come from a meeting of the Joint Committee on Disability Matters where we talked about inclusion in political, cultural and social life. Horrific experiences were recounted by artists with visual impairment who lose their entitlement to the blind pension if they accept a commission. The blind pension is dealt with by the section of the Department of Social Protection that deals with the old age pension, and artists are subjected to audits if they report an income. The blind pension is €203 per week and artists are allowed to earn €140 above that, which does not even reach the rate of the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, that we set up to compensate people during the pandemic. If they fall in love and have a relationship, their partner's income is taken into account and they may lose their blind pension. It costs at least €200 per week extra for a person with a disability to cater for all of the needs that arise out of that disability. We listened to what the witnesses had to say and person after person spoke of experiencing micromanagement by the State. They have to adopt an almost defensive position and defend themselves against the accusation that they are trying to defraud the State. They named it as an "ableist privilege" and the more I hear from witnesses at the disability matters committee, week after week, the more I believe that this is the reality across our society. We need a national conversation about this and I am calling for a debate in this House on ableist privilege. We must use the fantastic position of this House to call it out, name it and begin the conversation because it is desperately needed.