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Disability activists to detail Ireland’s support for personal assistants at Public Petitions Committee hearing

15 May 2018, 14:35

The Joint Committee on Public Petitions is investigating Ireland’s provision of personal assistants for disabled people at its hearing Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in Committee Room 1, Leinster House.

 



Representatives from the Department of Health, Health Service Executive, Disability Federation of Ireland and the non-profit charity Áiseanna Tacaíochta are presenting their views on how personal assistance support is funded, supplied and limited by current policy and practice. Among the witnesses are three disability activists who benefit from PA support themselves.

Wednesday’s scheduled speakers are:

  • Patsy Carr, principal officer of the Department of Health’s Disability Unit;
  • Marion Meany, the HSE’s head of disabilities strategies and planning;
  • Dr. Joanne McCarthy, senior executive officer in policy and research at the Disability Federation of Ireland;
  • Garry Toner, disability officer at the Institute of Technology Tallaght;
  • Áiseanna Tacaíochta co-founder and board member Owen Collumb; and
  • Eileen Daly, a disability support officer for the City of Dublin Education and Training Board.

Committee Chairman Seán Sherlock TD said members hope to shed light on existing provision of personal assistants and how services can be improved for Ireland’s more than 600,000 citizens with disabilities.

"This process will help us to understand where our personal assistant services meet needs and where they fall short," he said. "Their perspectives and experience are essential to help identify new thinking and improve the day-to-day support that many people need."

Committee proceedings can be viewed live here

Committee proceedings also can be viewed live on Android and Apple devices using the Houses of the Oireachtas app.

Media enquiries

Shawn Pogatchnik
Houses of the Oireachtas
Communications Unit
Leinster House
Dublin 2
+353 1 618 4203
+353 86 701 3295
shawn.pogatchnik@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: @OireachtasNews

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