Disability Matters Committee discuss the Resourcing Personal Assistance Services

The meeting is meeting this morning at 9:30 am in Committee Room 1 of Leinster House will hear from:

·       Fionn Crombie Angus

·       James Cawley, Policy Officer, Independent Living Movement Ireland

·       Representatives from Áiseanna Tacaíochta , Paul McBride, Chief Executive Officer, Owen Collumb, Joint Founder and Board Member, Gordon Ryan, Joint Founder and Board Member, Fiona Weldon, Board Member

In advance of the meeting Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Michael Moynihan said: “Article 19 of the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities calls for independent living and inclusive life in the community for people with disabilities and this can be achieved through people with disabilities asserting control over the way they want to live by creating empowering forms of support such as personal assistance. In this regard and as noted by the Independent Living Movement Ireland in their Opening Statement personal assistance can be the difference between “existing” and “living” for many people with disabilities.”

The Cathaoirleach went on to say: “The Committee believe that to achieve compliance with the UNCRPD and significantly improve the lives of people with disabilities, a national service framework for personalised budgets needs to be developed and current pathways to accessing Personal Assistance in Ireland must be expanded, with a view to establishing an appropriately funded and standardised national Personal Assistance system in keeping with Article 19 of the UNCRPD.

The Committee is looking forward to hearing from witnesses on how to ensure resourcing and delivery of a Personal Assistance Service that aligns with the UNCRPD and meets the needs of all groups of people with disabilities.”

The meeting in Committee Room 1 can be viewed live on the Oireachtas website.

The Joint Committee on Disability Matters has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

More information can be found on the dedicated Committee Webpage. Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.