Despite a commitment in Budget 2018 for funding to allow for the Decision Support Service in relation to the UN Convention for People with Disabilities, a prominent Maynooth University researcher insists the process is not moving fast enough.
Malcolm MacLachlan, Professor of Psychology and Social Inclusion at Maynooth University, has raised concerns that the process itself has already taken a considerable amount of time and should now be prioritised by government.
Professor MacLachlan stated: “Sadly, people with disabilities are not being prioritised by the government. In March 2017, Ireland reached the 10-year anniversary of signing the Convention but has failed to ratify it. Ten years is too long to deny people their human rights, to deny citizens of their human rights.
“The Irish government’s policy aspirations outlined in ‘Progressing Disabilities’ and ‘New Directions’ call for a fundamental rethink and new infrastructure for assistive technology in Ireland. With longer-living populations, there is a clear need to embrace the concept of ‘assistive’ – assistive services and assistive independent living will become the defining features of life over the next few decades.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that one billion people with some form of impairment could benefit from the use of an assistive product, yet only 10% of people around the world currently have access to such products. By 2060, an estimated two billion people would benefit from access to assistive technology systems. The European Disability Strategy 2010-2020, approved by the European Commission in 2010, aims to foster an EU-wide market for assistive technology.
Professor MacLachlan also has said that the potential to use technology to help people break into society is both immediate and considerable. He said Ireland has a research, development and production tradition in assistive products that now presents significant opportunities for scaling, providing European and global leadership. Despite this potential, Ireland is inadequately served by assistive technology at the systems, organisations and provision levels; and users have insufficient say in assistive product use and development.
Professor Malcolm MacLachlan stated: “Assisting Living refers to helping people who may be challenged by disability, chronic illness, frailty or cognitive decline, impairments that may be associated with aging; or those marginalized from the benefits of mainstream society; to benefit from equitable application of technological, personal, community and societal initiatives that assist and enable them to live a full life as valued participants of their community.
“Assisting Learning refers to applying this ethos to removing barriers to accessing and benefitting from education – especially third level education.
“Assisting Living and Learning’s emphasis on interdisciplinary, widening participation and social inclusion is well aligned with both the previous and emerging Maynooth University Strategic Plan. The Maynooth Access Programme is a national leader in promoting access to third level education. We are committed to a systems approach in all areas of our work, which means understanding the interplay of various factors that influence the relationship between persons and their contexts, between persons, and between technology and the person using that technology.”
Professor MacLachlan was speaking at his inaugural lecture; “I'd like to report a break-in”: Psychology, Inclusion and Technology, part of Maynooth University Research Week 2017.
In June 2017 Maynooth University celebrated the 20th anniversary of its founding as an independent university. Research Week 2017 is part of a year-long series of programmes and activities marking this milestone.
Ní féidir lenár saoránaigh fanacht níos faide” – iarrann Ollamh de chuid Ollscoil Mhá Nuad ar Éirinn Coinbhinsiún na NA ar Chearta Daoine
a dhaingniú
In ainneoin gur tugadh gealltanas i gCáinaisnéis 2018 go gcuirfear maoiniú ar fáil don tSeirbhís Tacaíochta Cinnteoireachta do Dhaoine faoi Mhíchumas, tá sé ráite ag taighdeoir mór le rá in Ollscoil Mhá Nuad nach bhfuil an próiseas ag bogadh ar aghaidh tapa go leor. Tá imní léirithe ag Malcom MacLachlan, Ollamh le Síceolaíocht agus le hIonchuimsiú Sóisialta in Ollscoil Mhá Nuad, go bhfuil roinnt mhaith ama caite ar an bpróiseas seo cheana féin agus gur cheart don rialtas tosaíocht a thabhairt dó.
Dúirt an tOllamh MacLachlan: “Ar an drochuair, ní thugann an rialtas tosaíocht do dhaoine faoi mhíchumas. Cothrom deich mbliana ó shin i mí an Mhárta 2017 a shínigh Éire an Coinbhinsiún ach theip uirthi é a dhaingniú. Tá deich mbliana i bhfad rófhada le cearta daonna a dhiúltú do dhaoine, le cearta daonna a dhiúltú do shaoránaigh. “I mianaidhmeanna rialtas na hÉireann atá leagtha amach in ‘Progressing Disabilities’ agus ‘New Directions’, iarrtar athsmaoineamh ó bhun a dhéanamh agus bonneagar nua a chur ar fáil do theicneolaíocht chúnta in Éirinn. De bhrí go bhfuil daoine ag maireachtáil níos faide, tá riachtanas soiléir ann glacadh leis an gcoincheap ‘cúnta’ – beidh seirbhísí cúnta agus maireachtáil neamhspleách chúnta ar na gnéithe is sainiúla sa saol sna blianta atá le teacht.”
Measann an Eagraíocht Dhomhanda Sláinte (EDS) gur féidir le billiún duine a bhfuil lagú de shaghas éigin orthu tairbhe a bhaint as táirge cúnta, ach níl fáil ach ag deich faoin gcéad de na daoine ar fud na cruinne ar tháirgí den chineál sin faoi láthair. Faoin mbliain 2060, meastar go mbainfeadh dhá bhilliún duine leas as fáil a bheith acu ar chórais teicneolaíochta cúnta. Tá sé mar aidhm ag an Straitéis Eorpach um Míchumas 2010 - 2020, a d’fhaomh an Coimisiún Eorpach sa bhliain 2010, margadh do theicneolaíocht chúnta a chothú ar fud an Aontais Eorpaigh.
Dúirt an tOllamh MacLachlan freisin go bhfuil cumas suntasach ann, fiú amháin i láthair na huaire, feidhm a bhaint as an teicneolaíocht chun cuidiú le daoine briseadh isteach sa tsochaí.
Dúirt sé go bhfuil traidisiún ag Éirinn i dtaca le taighde agus forbairt a dhéanamh ar tháirgí cúnta chomh maith lena dtáirgeadh, agus dá bharr sin go bhfuil deiseanna suntasacha ann anois cur leis an traidisiún sin agus ceannaireacht a ghlacadh san earnáil sin ar fud na hEorpa agus ar fud an domhain mhóir. In ainneoin an chumais seo, níl Éirinn sách ullmhaithe ó thaobh na teicneolaíochta cúnta de ag leibhéal na gcóras, na n-eagraíochtaí agus an tsoláthair; agus nach bhfaigheann úsáideoirí dóthain éisteachta i dtaca le húsáid agus forbairt táirgí cúnta.
Dúirt an tOllamh Malcolm MacLachlan: ”Is éard atá i gceist le maireachtáil chuidithe ná cabhrú le daoine a d’fhéadfadh a bheith faoi mhíchumas, a bhfuil galar ainsealach, laige nó meath cognaíoch orthu, laigí a d’fhéadfadh a bheith bainteach le dul ina aois; nó daoine atá imeallaithe ó na buntáistí a bhíonn ag an bpobal i gcoitinne; leas a bhaint as tionscadail teicneolaíochta, phearsanta, phobail agus shochaíoch a chuirtear i bhfeidhm go cothrom; tionscadail a chabhraíonn leo agus a chuireann ar a gcumas saol iomlán a bheith acu mar rannpháirtithe pobail a bhfuil luach orthu.
“Is éard atá i gceist le Foghlaim Chúnta ná éiteas den sórt sin a chur i bhfeidhm maidir leis na constaicí a bhaineann le rochtain a fháil ar an oideachas agus tairbhe a bhaint as a chur ar leataobh – oideachas tríú leibhéal go háirithe.
“Cuireann Maireachtáil agus Foghlaim Chúnta béim ar rannpháirtíocht idirdhisciplíneach, rannpháirtíocht níos leithne agus ionchuimsiú sóisialta, agus tagann sé sin go maith leis an bPlean Straitéiseach a bhí ag an Ollscoil agus leis an bplean nua atá a thabhairt chun cinn aici. Tá Clár Rochtana Mhá Nuad chun tosaigh go náisiúnta maidir le rochtain ar an oideachas tríú leibhéal a chur chun cinn. Tá tiomantas againn do chur chuige córasach i ngach réimse dár gcuid oibre. Ciallaíonn sin go bhfuil tuiscint againn ar an idirghníomhú idir na tosca éagsúla a bhfuil tionchar acu ar an gcaidreamh idir daoine agus a gcomhthéacsanna, idir dhaoine, agus idir an teicneolaíocht agus an duine a bhaineann úsáid as an teicneolaíocht sin.”
Bhí an tOllamh Mac Lachlan ag labhairt ag a léacht tionscnaimh; “Ba mhaith liom briseadh isteach a thuairisciú”: Síceolaíocht, Ionchuimsiú agus an Teicneolaíocht, mar chuid de Sheachtain an Taighde 2017, Ollscoil Mhá Nuad.
Rinne Ollscoil Mhá Nuad ceiliúradh ar fhiche bliain a bunaithe mar ollscoil neamhspleách i mí an Mheithimh 2017. Is cuid í Seachtain an Taighde 2017 de shraith de chláir agus de ghníomhaíochtaí a mhairfidh ar feadh bliana agus a dhéanfaidh comóradh ar an gcloch mhíle sin.