Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank everyone, and in particular for their opening statements. I have three or four questions. The committee has been informed that PBS is a core approach within the health service for helping people with disabilities who are at risk of exclusion from school, from services and from the community. Perhaps the witnesses will come back to me on that.

Will the witnesses also discuss how scientific knowledge can be contained within the UNCRPD, while ensuring a transition from a medical model to a human rights model, and ensuring meaningful consultation with people who have disabilities? That is another area.

I have two more questions and then the witnesses can respond. Can they further discuss the benefits of PBS and how it targets social behaviours to increase participation and the opportunity for friendship, whether it is dating, collaboration with others or just getting along with others in the workplace or the community, which is so important? They might also outline how we can see the decrease in the likelihood of potential negative outcomes such as loneliness, depression and even suicide. These are all things that we need to discuss. According to ISBA's opening statement, it is "establishing an experts by experience panel, which will have a decision-making role in the organisation, a defined role in ... feedback and complaints policy and a role in developing mandatory continuing professional development, CPD, for our members". Is there a timescale on that? I think it is positive. I hope it will happen quite soon. My last question is about awareness. I note that the ISBA had a conference in Athlone in April. Like other speakers, I am very mindful of awareness and how we can make people aware, including families and even ourselves more generally. How do the witnesses feel about an awareness campaign, or what can we do going forward? It is something that we are learning about every day. What can the witnesses see happening in this regard as we go forward?