Remarks By President McAleese At The International Association For The Scientific Study
Remarks By President McAleese At The International Association For The Scientific Study Of Intellectual Disabilities
Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a chur in iúl díbh go léir don fáilte a raibh fíor, fairsing agus flaithiúil.
I am delighted to be here today to address this distinguished gathering of some 350 participants from Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, Canada, Australia and of course Ireland who have come to Dublin to attend the Inaugural Conference of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disability. My sincere thanks to Dr. Patricia Noonan Walsh and Mr. John Hillery for the kind invitation to be here today.
The extent of the international presence in this room underlines the importance of scientific study in deepening understanding of the needs of people with intellectual disabilities and in shaping effective responses to those needs. This gathering crosses many boundaries both of geography and of discipline and it is very reassuring that it does so. The breadth of the subject matter you will deal with from health issues to human rights is itself indicative of the exciting new agenda which is taking our brothers and sisters with intellectual disabilities from the shadows of the margins to the spotlight of centre stage.
In Ireland today, people with intellectual disabilities see the slow but steady progress towards the facilitation of their right to full participation and enjoyment of life in their own communities. It is a journey which has started but on which there is still a long way to go. It is a journey towards full social inclusion, towards lives lived to the full through access to the best educational, recreational, training and employment opportunities - towards lives with scope for greater self-determination, choice and independence, a journey towards lives lived right at the heart of everyday community and commercial life, towards a world where the needs of carers are listened to and met, a journey towards a world where the capriciousness of life is not made more difficult by obstacles of prejudice or perception but where we dig deep each day to release and reveal the potential, the unique giftedness of every human being.
Here in Ireland we have an enviable tradition of partnership between the statutory and voluntary bodies serving people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Effective fluent partnership is the key to making significant progress on our journey. An important and encouraging example of this partnership at work and at its best will be seen in June, 2003 when we host the Special Olympics World Games. It will be the first time the Games have ever been hosted outside the United States and we are very proud that our small island has been chosen as host nation. During the two weeks of the Games, Ireland, North and South, with some 30,000 volunteers will welcome 7,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities, 3,000 coaches and officials and 28,000 supporters. Even now, were you to travel throughout this island, you would see evidence of the very public commitment of local communities to embracing and to supporting our special guests during this wonderful event.
Today we celebrate your inaugural conference and with it comes the hope that future research in this field will draw fresh strength, wisdom, energy and insight from this timely new forum. With your growing membership now spanning more than fifty countries you offer a network of shared endeavour and shared focus which will radically alter the pace of and input into future debates on intellectual disability.
The strengthening of various Special Interest Research Groups in particular offers tremendous scope for progress through collaboration. As all of us witness rapid changes to the family life, the impact of those changes on families dealing with intellectual disability need to be carefully scrutinised, analysed and responded to. This forum is ideally placed to guide our footsteps as we seek to find the flexibility, diversity and effectiveness in our responses which changing times demand.
The new Special Interest Research Group on men and women with intellectual disabilities who have become parents is itself very telling of the changing attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities in societies around the world.
I have referred to only a few of the new explorative groups which have been set up to provide a vibrant forum for pooling international perspectives and research evidence – broadening the exchange, deepening the reservoirs of insight, experience and wisdom from which we draw for the future.
This conference marks the first time that a regional grouping within IASSID has gathered in such strength. You have brought together voices from rich and diverse traditions of research and practice in many countries of Europe. During the four days of the conference, as you meet and learn from each other, as you share and absorb, as you form new networks of interest and take away intriguing innovative perspectives you will be living the vision that founded the European Union - a vision which understood how much we have to offer each other, how much we can accomplish when we work together. There is an old Irish proverb which says – “two shorten the road”. This conference is about shortening the road to the best quality of life for those with intellectual disability. I thank you for your commitment to that noble endeavour and wish you well in your deliberations.
Go raibh maith agaibh.