Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Senator Nikki Bradley to Seanad Éireann. As somebody with a disability who has been a proud member of this House for the past 13 years, I am no longer a lone voice. I commend and congratulate the Senator. What better champion could we have than somebody like her? I met the Senator for the first time about a year ago when Fine Gael launched a document on diversity and inclusion here in Leinster House. I commend an Taoiseach, Deputy Harris, because the first thing he did on becoming Taoiseach was to establish a Cabinet subcommittee on disability. That is all good and we sincerely hope it will deliver results but actions speak louder than words and an Taoiseach's action in appointing Senator Bradley to Seanad Éireann speaks louder than any voice. It really does augur well for what we can achieve as a country and for what Fine Gael is achieving as a party. The two people with disabilities in this Oireachtas happen to be from Fine Gael. We are in a good place and can achieve an awful lot. We want to see the optional protocol adopted but, more than anything else, what we want to see is a level playing pitch. I hope that Senator Bradley and I will prove to the people of Ireland that, when people with disabilities are given a chance, when the pitch is level and when there is fairness, people with disabilities can compete, perform and achieve at the highest level in any walk of life, whether business, sport, public service or politics. Today is a great day for Seanad Éireann and for people with disabilities throughout this country. Well done, Nikki. Enjoy it.