Joanne hopes UN speech inspires people to believe they can achieve

A teenager, who was born without arms and legs, said she hopes to inspire people to believe they can achieve anything when she delivers an address to the UN later this week.

Joanne O’Riordan, 15, from Millstreet, Co Cork, flies out to New York today to deliver a speech at a UN global conference on Thursday in which she will outline how technology has enhanced her life.

Joanne, who suffers from an extremely-rare condition known as Total Amelia Syndrome, won the hearts of the nation last year when she forced Taoiseach Enda Kenny to reconsider cuts to disability payments. She later appeared as a guest on the Late Late Show.