Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to associate myself with Senator McGreehan's remarks. We need to do everything we can to highlight gender-based violence. The problem is that, in many instances, we do not know. There is a culture of masking it and pretending that everything is right when it is not. As such, it is good that we have 16 days to highlight it.

Every Thursday morning, I come to the Chamber and give out about what I have heard at the Joint Committee on Disability Matters. This morning, though, I bring good news. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, appeared before us. To say that she is impressive and on top of her brief would be putting it mildly. She is extraordinary. I asked her about the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD, the lead-up to the ratification of the optional protocol by the Government, what work was under way and whether she was driving it. She is driving an impressive group comprising representatives from all Departments as well as activists and advocacy groups from across the country. The voices of people with disabilities are being listened to and are at the table. That is what this is about, namely, nothing about us without us. To drill down and hear about the implementation of change for people with disabilities has been impressive.

The Minister of State gave a shout-out to two bodies that I am proud to amplify in the Chamber. One was the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, under the Tánaiste, who is our party leader, and the Minister of State, Deputy English, in terms of workplace changes. She also noted the extraordinary work being done across the country by the Office of Public Works, OPW, in particular. That work provides access to monuments and public buildings, opportunities to get out and about, etc. The OPW is under the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan. I wish to pay tribute to all of that and to supply some good news for a change.