Oireachtas disabilities meeting moved over broken lift

The hearing was moved to an Oireachtas committee room due to the elevator which brings people to the Seanad being out of action. Picture: Houses of the Oireachtas

A meeting of an Oireachtas committee on disabilities could not be held in the Seanad chamber as planned on Monday due to a broken-down lift.

The Joint Committee on Disability Matters had been due to hold an all-day session in the upper house on the role of disabled persons organisations (DPOs) and the implementation of the UN Charter on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UCCRPD). The hearing was moved to an Oireachtas committee room due to the elevator which brings people to the Seanad being out of action.

A spokesperson for the Houses of the Oireachtas said: "Unfortunately the lift was out of action at very short notice and is scheduled for repair as soon as possible."

However, the committee chair, Cork North West TD Michael Moynihan said that the committee had only been informed on Friday and said that the work would have been completed for a VIP visitor to the Leinster House campus.

If Joe Biden was coming today and using that lift, that lift would be fixed.

"It was a very powerful meeting and was incredibly informative about how we go about implementing the UNCRPD and a rights-based approach, but the change of venue was unfortunate.

"I understand we were informed on Friday morning, with the lift out of action since Tuesday. It just speaks to an attitude that alternatives can do, in my opinion.

"The Ceann Comhairle has done great work on an autism-friendly campus but our team had to work over the weekend to get it moved."

Michael Moynihan TD pictured on Lapps Quay, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan

Ireland has yet to ratify the optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, which it signed in 2018.

The optional protocol establishes a complaints mechanism under the convention and its absence was one reason why disability advocates said they were against last week's referendum, which was resoundingly defeated.

Last month in the wake of the failed care referendum, Leo Varadkar told Fine Gael members the Government would ratify the protocol and that "any resistance from the permanent government will be overcome by the elected one".

During the committee meeting, Gillian Kearns of Neuro Pride Ireland said that the State must ensure that "disabled voices are heard throughout all decision stages that will impact disabled lives".

Dr James Casey of the Independent Living Movement Ireland said that DPOs "are under-resourced, undervalued and underrepresented".