I wish everybody here and all of the staff a happy Christmas and hope the new year will be good for everybody.

I am disappointed that the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will not be ratified by the end of the year. I will not get terribly upset about it this morning, other than simply to state it is a disappointment. I wish to address my point to the Members of the House, rather than to the Government. Ratification is the gateway to Ireland taking a comprehensive and broad approach to the inclusion of people and families with disabilities. When we speak about people with disabilities, their families and mental health needs, we are not speaking about people who are not close to any one of us and the families and communities in which we live. I am absolutely hopeful Ireland can do a lot better with the resources it has to make things better and fully include people with disabilities. This project is not alone good for people with disabilities, it is also the right thing for Ireland to be a better and more sustainable society. There are 60 Senators and every one of us and all of our political entities have supported ratification and, therefore, implementation of the convention at an early date. In the year ahead we all have a critical and a very practical role to play in the various areas in which we work in the Seanad in stitching the disability interest into all legislative and policy work. I am very hopeful and optimistic that if we get over the hump in having it ratified and get on with implementing it, the people and the Oireachtas have the wit and capacity to do it in a better way, which will shine a light across the world on how we deal with and involve people with disabilities.

This has been a fascinating year for me. I did not expect it to be in many ways. It is great to have so many colleagues and this opportunity. I wish everybody and those they love and care about a happy and peaceful Christmas and a good year ahead.