Ms Grace O'Sullivan:

I thank the Senator for his question. When the issue of disability is raised, two things spring to my mind. One is accessing services for people with disabilities, but also accessing services for carers and people who work with people with disabilities. It is an area that is very close to my heart as my daughter, aged 30, has intellectual and physical disabilities. I am worn out and very disappointed by the lack of services and opportunities for people with disabilities in this country, especially in the area of residential support and care, where I know there are families who are at their wits' end trying to get support services for their family members. In addition, carers who apply for the carer's allowance or carer's benefit are waiting months and months before they receive remuneration for the hours they are doing. The hours they are being remunerated for are only a fraction of the actual hours they are doing; you know that and I know that.

The Green Party group in the European Parliament, which I am part of, is very active in the area of trying to get acknowledgement of, and recognition for, the needs of people with disabilities. We always talk as if this is a level playing field. There is no level playing field for people with disabilities, be those physical or intellectual. They are, unfortunately, on the back foot and it is just not good enough.