Deirdre Hargey
South Belfast · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“His double standards, including his condemnation of and opposition to equality and rights for our LGBTQ+ citizens, have caused real harm to others. The revelations about his double life expose the staggering hypocrisy of the DUP's moral facade. We need to know whether failing to act sooner left more vulnerable people at risk.”
“One week ago today, Jeffrey Donaldson was found guilty of 18 child sexual offences, including rape. That conviction was made possible only by the strength and resilience of the two victims who came forward and reported the abuse. Donaldson was an abuser. He abused children, but he also abused his position in politics and faith.”
“They now say that they knew about his behaviour, but, crucially, they did nothing to expose his inappropriate hypocrisy and double life. The 'Spotlight' programme and other reports have shown that senior members of the DUP — its most senior figures, including the then leader, Edwin Poots — were aware of serious issues and allegations abou…”
“It is therefore not credible to suggest that the intelligence agencies were blind to his compromised double standards and double life. <BR /> <BR />Those questions demand answers from the DUP leadership. They demand answers in the House from the deputy First Minister, who was closely associated with Donaldson.”
“It is clear that there is a huge disconnect between Whitehall and the reality that is being felt by people on the ground. A British Treasury policy that is managing decay, real-terms cuts and disastrous policy decisions such as Brexit or the funding of wars over public services comes on top of existing disparities between how public servi…”
“The answer is not the short-term fixes or cash injections that we have had in the past, which have allowed for the repeated Treasury script of record settlements and inability of the Executive to manage their finances — scripts that are often parroted in the Chamber.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,594 lines we hold for Deirdre Hargey, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 49 of 52.
“They have to be completely commended for the essential front-line public service that they are delivering. <BR /> <BR />As I have said, we will check constantly and it is an hourly review, not just a daily review. We will see if we have too many staff who, rightly, have to self-isolate or take time off and then we will redirect our services where we can, while still dealing with this public crisis. Any time that this gets critical or urgent, it is flagged up to the Executive emergencies group and to the Chair of the Committee, to keep people up to date. We are working with the Department of Work and Pensions, which is dealing with critical pressures in England, Scotland and Wales, and we will continue to monitor this hourly.”
“There will also be streamlining for the staff who have to do discretionary support claims individually and manually. We will try to streamline that as much as we can, to make sure that we are getting support and payments to those who need them. <BR /> <BR />On the verification process for existing benefits, I will announce later today or tomorrow how we are going to streamline and cut back on those, to save time on checking and looking at verifications, and to ensure that staff can be redirected to other essential services. <BR /> <BR />Gerry touched on the issue of phone lines. I have given you a sense of the demand that is there. I cannot speak highly enough about the staff, who have thrown everything at this. They have been turning up to work every day in really tough circumstances.”
“<BR /> <BR />Regarding the housing component, housing is a critical issue for those paying rents in the social rented sector. I have had a number of engagements with housing associations and the Housing Executive. They will not start any proceedings for people who are falling into debt. I am also exploring ideas around the potential for discretionary housing support, which would support those in the public and private rented sectors. I will look at issues around evictions and notices to quit and will outline that in the coming days and weeks. <BR /> <BR />John touched on other issues around the application process. We are trying to streamline it and create a one-sheet application form. Hopefully, over the next 24 to 48 hours, you will see that and it will be on the system.”
“We have already suspended face-to-face, we have suspended the need to come into jobs and benefits offices, and I will be introducing more measures this week and in the coming days about further streamlining to ensure that our staff are paying out benefits and also responding to those who are phoning. <BR /> <BR />We are also looking at whether the demand for universal credit has dropped since the Chancellor's announcement. A lot of universal credit claims came in last week, before the announcement about 80% of salaries, so we are assessing how much of a drop off there is. We know that people may start to seek discretionary support as we relax the regulations and criteria. We will keep that under hourly, not even daily, review.”
“I have also instructed officials to increase the benefit rate used to calculate a short-term living expenses award; they will now be calculated at a rate of 100% of the adult daily rate, which is an increase on the existing 60%. I am also looking at options this week to amend the legislation on the income threshold, because there is a concern. The benefit cap is £20,000, and the income threshold falls below that. Is there an urgent need to amend that? I am confident of bringing forward other measures to look at that. <BR /> <BR />Patsy, you touched on staffing and resource. We are trying to throw everything at this to defend essential services. We are rolling back — or, I suppose, rolling down — other services, and I will be making announcements later this afternoon in an attempt to streamline existing benefit processes.”
“Something that happened two hours ago may change in another two hours, so we will try to communicate with Members as much as possible. Even in the questions raised here today, and in all of these briefings, the Executive want to give a commitment that we will find a way of getting questions answered for Members, so that they can go out and give answers to their constituents. <BR /> <BR />Discretionary support awards for short-term living expenses are normally calculated to cover the number of days until the claimant's next payment is due. My officials now have discretion to increase the number of days for which short-term living awards are made, and this should avoid the need for an early repeat claim.”
“<BR /> <BR />The regulations that I am putting forward today are only part of a wider package of changes that we are looking to bring about. Alongside the new payment, I intend to relax other existing rules around the discretionary support scheme to assist people during this period, because we are in the midst of a public health emergency. These changes can be made without the need for legislative amendment; they are policy changes, and as I bring them forward and announce them, I will be doing so publicly. I also give a commitment to the Chair of the Communities Committee that I will alert the Committee to those changes and send weekly updates on changes that we are making, because things are moving at a very fast pace.”
“There has been ongoing engagement with trade unions and others to look at this, at what we can do to ensure that staff are protected and that we really show our appreciation of those staff, who are defending an essential front-line public service. <BR /> <BR />Sinéad touched on the independent advice sector. It has been magnificent over the last week or two in supporting us. It was part of a community and voluntary sector emergencies group meeting that I chaired in the Department last Friday, and it is really stepping up to do all that it can in responding to these needs and delivering essential services to people on the ground. We are indebted to that sector for its role and the contribution that it is making.”
“<BR /> <BR />We are also looking at IT issues, and we have made urgent IT requests for those who need to stay at home. Universal credit, for example, is an online digital system. If we have enough IT equipment, people can work from home and still deliver those essential services. The focus therefore falls on the discretionary support, because that is not an automated system. We have to do that manually, and we are making plans to streamline it, looking at a one-page application and a processing time that really takes the bureaucracy out of this — basically, to rip up the existing rule book, because we are not working in normal times. <BR /> <BR />That is some of the stuff that we are doing, and we will keep it under daily review. I am engaging with the senior team in the Department.”
“That gives you an indication of the magnitude. We have never faced a situation like this before. The system is trying to change and we are trying to respond to that need. Staff have been working round the clock, especially our front-line staff, and we are going to be announcing future policy changes today in an attempt to refocus staff into front-line essential services. <BR /> <BR />On issues around debt and fraud, people will be redirected, and have been redirected in the last couple of days, to really focus on front-line essential services to make sure that we have the staff there. That is being updated on a regular basis. It is being fed into the Executive emergencies group in case, across the Civil Service, we need more people.”
“Our staff are trying to defend the basic front line of essential public services. The main one is to make sure that we process benefit payments and pay them out as quickly as possible. Obviously, they are coming under huge pressure, and the staff in our jobs and benefits offices and call centres and our health staff should be hugely commended. They are going into work to deliver that front-line public service, even though the wider advice is to stay at home, and I can see that commitment from them. <BR /> <BR />There is a strain. We have seen over 10,000 new claims for universal credit since the week beginning 16 March, so that gives a sense of the scale. Yesterday alone, there were 5,000 calls to the universal credit helpline. In the first two hours yesterday, there were almost 10,000 calls in relation to discretionary support.”
“I thank everyone who has contributed. There were a lot of similar issues raised. <BR /> <BR />Paula mentioned funding, and we have a bid in for £9·6 million extra that we require, but that could change again, depending on what the demand is. We already have part of that in the Department where we are looking at money that has not been spent in-year for this situation. The Finance Minister is looking at that bid at the moment and is aware that that money needs to be made available. The Executive and Members know that there is a definite need for this discretionary support to ensure that families' needs are met. I see that being concluded positively very soon. <BR /> <BR />The issue of staffing has come up a lot, and I gave an update on that at this morning's Executive meeting.”
“<BR /> <BR />All Members will appreciate that these are challenging times, and I want to reassure people that the legislation will help to reduce the risk to vulnerable people by providing the necessary financial assistance to those who need it. I will continue to examine whether further changes to the discretionary support scheme are feasible, and I am determined to increase the emergency financial support to people at this time of crisis.”
“It is too early to accurately estimate the increased demand, but, assuming a 100% increase in the grant awards, the estimated additional expenditure will be £9·6 million in the next financial year. I can advise the House that anticipated increased expenditure has been shared with the Department of Finance. I can also assure Members that there is already a robust budget management approach in place for discretionary support. If a potential overspend is identified and additional funding is not available, my Department has the legal authority to reduce the amount awarded for subsequent applications. To date, no budget controls have had to be implemented in respect of the discretionary support budget, and I trust that there will be no need to apply controls in the next financial year.”
“That means that, if one person in a household is told to self-isolate, another will be able to claim discretionary support under the provision. Payments will be made to cover the number of days from the date of the claim until the claimant's next income is due to be received. In recognition of the exceptional circumstances we now face, there will be no restriction on the number of COVID-19-related grants that a person will be able to receive. If they continue to require immediate assistance with living expenses, further payments will be considered. <BR /> <BR />The amendments that I have announced today will have an impact on the discretionary support budget, which is currently set at £16 million per annum.”
“From 1 April 2020, the income threshold will increase to £18,137. <BR /> <BR />Discretionary support already delivers emergency financial support to people facing a crisis, but the support that people can access is limited. The Discretionary Support (Amendment) (COVID-19) Regulations will introduce a new emergency payment to help people during this crisis. The amendment will allow my Department to provide non-repayable grants, rather than loans, for living expenses. The payments will be available to people who find themselves with no means of meeting immediate living costs as a result of being diagnosed with COVID-19 or being advised to self-isolate because of COVID-19. <BR /> <BR />I want to make it clear that the provision also applies to any member of the person's immediate family.”
“<BR /> <BR />The aim of discretionary support is to address the needs of people in extreme, exceptional or crisis situations where there is significant risk to the health, safety or well-being of the claimant or a member of the claimant's immediate family. Awards can usually be made either as a loan or a non-repayable grant to assist with a range of crisis situations. That can include an award to assist with living expenses, where a claimant has no means of meeting immediate costs for themselves or their immediate family. Entitlement is determined by the level of income, rather than entitlement to benefit. That means that people in low-paid employment can access discretionary support. The income threshold is set with reference to the national minimum wage over-25 rate and is automatically adjusted when that rate increases.”
“I am determined that my Department will do everything it can to help people who are diagnosed with COVID-19 or are advised to self-isolate. The amendment will be one small but important step in getting much-needed support to many vulnerable people. Discretionary support was introduced as a specific scheme in the North to replace the social fund community care grants and crisis loans. The amendment will go further by enhancing the existing discretionary support scheme. It will ensure that additional financial support is available to the most vulnerable people. That support is not available in England, Scotland and Wales and, alongside the welfare mitigation package, will ensure that people here have access to a more flexible social security system.”
“The regulations, brought in under article 135 of the Welfare Reform (NI) Order 2015, will amend the Discretionary Support Regulations (NI) 2016. The First Minister has agreed to the legislation being brought forward under urgent procedure. Due to the urgency of making the amendment, the Committee for Communities has not had the opportunity to complete its scrutiny of the draft legislation. The regulations are a direct response to the coronavirus pandemic, and my priority as Minister for Communities is to protect the health and well-being of those who find themselves in a crisis situation as a result of COVID-19.”
“I thank the Chair and I commend the motion to the House.”
“Payments of the lump sum are based on the age of the person with the disease and their level of disablement at the time of diagnosis. Higher amounts are paid to people with higher levels of disability and whose condition is diagnosed at an earlier age. Lower amounts are payable to dependants who make a claim after the sufferer has died. The maximum amount that can be paid under the 1979 scheme is being increased this year to £93,827 for a person aged 37 or under at diagnosis. That helps to ensure that the compensation that is provided under the Order maintains its value. <BR /> <BR />No amount of money can compensate a person who is affected by these terrible diseases. However, I am sure that Members will want people who are making a claim on or after 1 April 2020 to receive the higher amounts and will, therefore, support the regulations.”
“To be eligible for payment under the scheme, there has to be no current or previous claim for damages in respect of the disease for which the person is claiming; there must be no relevant employer who can be pursued through the courts; and the person must have been awarded industrial injuries disablement benefit. <BR /> <BR />The lump sum compensation is paid in addition to the weekly disablement benefit for the same disease. Dependants of the sufferer can make a claim if the person has passed away before they were able to make the claim.”
“The five respiratory diseases that it covers are mainly related directly to asbestos exposure: mesothelioma, diffuse pleural thickening, primary carcinoma of the lung, byssinosis and pneumoconiosis. The lump sum payment scheme is intended to compensate people who, in the course of their work, have been exposed to asbestos or other listed agents but have been unable to seek compensation from their employer, even though the disease was contracted as a result of working for that employer. Symptoms tend not to appear until many years after exposure. By that stage, the employer might have ceased to be in business.”
“The regulations will increase the value of lump sum awards that are paid under the Pneumoconiosis, etc., (Workers' Compensation) (NI) Order 1979, known as the "1979 scheme". The uprating of the scheme stands apart from the main social security benefits uprating, and there is no statutory requirement to increase the rates. However, it has been agreed to increase the rates payable from 1 April of this year in line with inflation. Therefore, payments will increase by September's consumer price index of 1·7%. That is consistent with the uprating of industrial injuries benefits. <BR /> <BR />The purpose of the 1979 scheme is to pay compensation to people who suffer from certain dust-related disease and their dependants.”
“I thank the Chair, the Committee and Members in the Chamber today. These are the latest in a series of regulations to replace the originals, which were made in 2018, before they cease to have effect. At that time, it was not possible for the rules to be approved in the absence of the Assembly. In normal circumstances, the Department would have sought to remake regulations subject to confirmatory procedure on a rolling basis. The regulations simplify the process for trustees and managers to value members' safeguarded benefits. Pension schemes are able to use the same valuation method to determine when advice is required as for calculating the cash equivalent of the benefits for transfer purposes. I commend the motion to the House.”
“That reduces burdens on schemes and confusion for some members. <BR /> <BR />As I said at the outset, this is somewhat technical, but I hope that Members appreciate why the regulations are necessary.”
“The Pension Schemes Act 2015 (Transitional Provisions and Appropriate Independent Advice) Regulations (NI) 2015 set out what trustees and managers must do to check that members with safeguarded benefits — benefits that are not money purchase or cash balance — have taken appropriate independent advice before transferring or converting safeguarded rights to provide benefits that can be accessed flexibly. They also provide for when an employer must pay for that advice. <BR /> <BR />The regulations to be approved today form part of a package of regulations that amend the 2015 regulations. They provide for a simpler process for trustees or managers to value members' pension savings classified as "safeguarded benefits" when determining whether the requirement to take financial advice applies.”
“The rule that we are discussing today is somewhat technical. The Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 gave savers greater flexibility in how they access their money purchase pension pots known as "pension flexibilities". The Pension Schemes Act 2015 includes provision to support the pension flexibilities and creates a new term — "flexible benefit" — that covers the types of benefits to which the pension flexibility applies. It introduces the concept of "appropriate independent advice" and stipulates that that advice is given by a Financial Conduct Authority-authorised adviser. <BR /> <BR />Section 51 of the Act provides for regulations to prescribe how the new advice safeguard operates in practice.”
“I hit a cricket ball in Woodvale park a number of years ago when I was on Belfast City Council. It is an excellent venue — just within Woodvale. You would not know it is there until you walk in. Obviously, Sport NI is the main arm's-length body for the dissemination of funds for sporting events and with the sporting codes. I am more than happy to look at that issue and to engage with the cricket union in the time ahead to see what we can do.”
“I do not have the specifics of that case, but I am more than happy to look at it after Question Time. I am meeting the chair of the board of the Housing Executive soon. We will look at such issues as upgrading its stock, and the issue of damp has come up in discussions. I am more than happy to bring up the specific issue and write to the Member with an answer.”
“Yes, we see the impact that having events and international events can have on a place. It will be important to work with local government, because it knows the issues on the ground, the impact and the cultural and arts organisations that we can dovetail into. If we can adopt a partnership approach to these events, I will be more than happy to do that. My officials already engage with the 11 councils, including the Member's council area, and, if there is something specific that we can look at, I will be more than happy to do that.”
“I answered some of that in a question a few weeks ago. The Belfast grant scheme is something of a legacy programme that has been there for a long time. Whilst there is no intent to develop other programmes, my Department works with the other 10 councils in running programmes. We have a festivals fund that is disseminated across the 11 councils in which programmes are developed. Indeed, some of the moneys from our regeneration programmes and the neighbourhood renewal programmes go into events and funding. I will meet the Member soon, so I am more than happy to look at the issues, and, if there is anything that the Department can do in specific programmes, I will consider it and discuss it with you.”
“Particularly as we are a society that is emerging from a political conflict, we need to address those issues. I am committed to doing that. We will also look at how we can involve our sports and community sector, because, in many ways, they are leading the debate and the campaign on the issues, and we need to support them in doing so.”
“Yes, you are right. Participation in sport and physical activity has a really strong role to play in addressing positive mental health and well-being and tackling suicide. Working with the Department, Sport NI and partner bodies, we are looking at how we can increase efforts on that. Part of that will include looking at training programmes, and that is where the discussion with the Minister of Health last week and the other Ministers was useful. When you look across the Departments, you see a variety of programmes and training being organised, and we need to make sure that it has the impact that it needs to have and targets the areas that we know about. One of the alarming but unsurprising figures is that it is areas of poverty and deprivation that really feel the impact of this.”
“There is a commitment to work with the Health Minister on that strategy and to look at mental health and well-being more broadly. In my Department, I have good instruments to do that in social security benefits, housing and tackling inequality in our most deprived communities. For all the issues, I rely on the Department of Health and all the Departments in the implementation, going forward. I have a commitment that I will continue that engagement with Robin and with the House on this crucial issue.”
“Yes. The Executive's new working group looking at health and well-being — mental health and well-being — and suicide met for the first time last week. Minister Swann chairs that group, and there was a good discussion at the meeting among all the Ministers who were there, including the two First Ministers. There is a commitment that we will follow up with specific actions in the Department for Communities looking at positive mental health and well-being and suicide to see if there are more actions that we can take. More importantly, there was a good discussion about these issues being cross-cutting across the Departments, and it is important that resources, commitment in time and priorities are shared and discussed and not sectionalised in each of the Departments.”
“The review will be with the partnerships, those involved in the partnerships, those who develop programmes and, more widely, those in the neighbourhood renewal area. Things have changed in the last 10 or 15 years since the neighbourhood renewal strategy, "People and Place", was first implemented. We need to make sure that, in a new programme, we address not only new and current needs but those needs that may emerge in the time ahead. I want there to be a serious co-design approach, and, as part of my engagement on 18 March, I will start to look at how we address that. I will also work with, for example, the Human Rights Commission on human rights issues and, again, on embedding a rights-based approach to the programme.”
“Those partnerships and communities will be involved in a co-design process over the next two years of the programme. <BR /> <BR />As you touched on, I have initiated a review of workers' rights, because there are concerns and issues in that people have not had a pay increase over the last nine years. There are no maternity leave entitlements for those working in the community and voluntary sector. It is a sector that I have worked in my whole life, and I have committed to an urgent review of all those issues and at how we can address them. I will meet the neighbourhood partnership chairs on 18 March to discuss the issues.”
“As Members may know, I wrote to neighbourhood renewal partnerships just over a week ago to advise them that, to give certainty, I am securing their funding as is for this year and into the next financial year. Over 900 people are employed through the neighbourhood renewal programme. In our 10 most deprived communities, it delivers a variety of services both in the community and in a statutory setting. For me, as somebody who came from a neighbourhood renewal position and lives in a neighbourhood renewal area, it was fundamental that I give that certainty. I also gave a commitment that neighbourhood renewal areas will be involved in the co-design of the new programme. Obviously, the neighbourhood renewal programme needs to be reviewed to ensure that it meets the need and that we look at how we can eradicate poverty and address inequality.”
“In the coming weeks, I will outline plans to look at the social security system, including PIP, and how we can make it more effective in meeting the needs of those who need it most. I am more than happy to discuss it with you after this sitting, and, in the time ahead, I will come back to outline my plans.”
“Marie Kavanagh, a former head of Gingerbread NI, is carrying out an independent review of PIP. She comes from the sector that represents people at the grassroots who are impacted on. I look forward to hearing about it. I have not been involved in it yet. I cannot engage, because it is independent, but I know that she is asking to speak to people on the ground. Information has gone out to the advice sector, where she, as the independent assessor, wants to engage with them to look at their experience. She will, obviously, engage with my Department and officials. We want a system that really meets the needs of people as and when they need it and without having to go through an appeal process, so I will look at that. However, I will not just rest and wait for the independent review.”
“I do not have the exact figures with me, but I can send them to you. I know that the rate of appeals overturned is higher, and I will seriously consider that in the time ahead. I will outline plans to look at the overall social security system, which includes PIP, universal credit and any future mitigations. I want to engage with the advice sector, human rights organisations — for example, the Human Rights Commission — and particularly those who are impacted on by social security benefits. I want to see what we can do to improve them in order to ensure that they protect the most vulnerable and that they embed a rights-based approach to the impact that the social security system should have on protecting the most vulnerable. I am more than happy to provide you with the specifics in writing.”
“That is part of what the group will look at. Obviously, the strategy must reflect international human rights and embed those at a domestic level. It will also look at good practice in other Governments and local authorities here, across the island and, more broadly, across these islands. I imagine that it will be directed by those involved in the development of the strategy, which is a co-design piece. Looking at international standards and best practice across all the strategies is an element that will be addressed seriously.”
“I am not sure about individual staff members. The terms of reference are, at the moment, being worked on by the equality unit in the Department. It is looking at international obligations and domestic law around equality and disability rights. Before the terms of reference are formally adopted, I will discuss them with the sector to ensure that co-production starts from the terms themselves. I will be doing that across all the strategies that my Department has responsibility for. I will lay that out in the time ahead. I have not received the draft back yet. I have just had an initial meeting, but those sectors will see the terms of reference in draft before they are implemented and signed up to.”
“That is an issue that I looked at early on. We have an arm's-length body, the Arts Council. However, I am looking at how we can develop a coherent, overarching arts strategy within the Department, and that will impact on the Arts Council as well. Once I start to formulate my position and approach to that, I will be more than happy to present it to the Committee and, ultimately, to the Assembly, if it is requested.”
“I have asked for engagement across all these strategies. Senior officials in each of the Departments can ensure that their people who are responsible for delivering policies can make decisions and look at the allocation of budgets within each of their Departments. That will be picked up in the terms of reference. Obviously, there is a responsibility on the other Ministers to ensure that the officials sent are at a high enough level to take the strategy forward in a meaningful way.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable have their voices heard and receive equal opportunities to participate in society. That will be reflected throughout the development and implementation of our new disability strategy. <BR /> <BR />My officials are drawing up the terms of reference for it at the moment and looking at who the engagement groups are. It is important that we engage with those at the grassroots, and, obviously, we will be engaging with the sector as to the best way to do that.”
“<BR /> <BR />The disability sector has spoken to me about ensuring that the voices of disabled people are heard and has emphasised the need for measurable outcomes that will make a real and lasting difference to be built into the new strategy. <BR /> <BR />I trust that my commitment to embedding the principles of co-design and co-production into the strategy's development will address those concerns. Through this approach, we will work together with stakeholders and other Departments, which is obviously key — this has to cut across the Executive — to put in place a strategy that targets and measures the things that will make a noticeable improvement to quality of life for all those with disabilities.”
“Yes, thanks very much. In line with New Decade, New Approach, I will publish a timescale for the delivery of a new disability strategy in the coming weeks. That deal sets out that I should publish timescales on all the strategies by the end of March, and I have a commitment to meet that timetable. <BR /> <BR />As I said, the strategy will be developed using a co-design approach, which will be based on meaningful engagement with disabled people at all stages of the process. My Department will work closely with disability stakeholders and engage with people at the grassroots to identify the issues and barriers that are faced by disabled people in the North.”
“Yes, it is important to ensure that all our public realm schemes are accessible to all members of the public. I am responsible for the disability strategy, which will include co-design with those who are disabled and organisations that represent them. We will consider the issue of regeneration and public spaces as part of that strategy. If the Member has any specific points about legacy projects, I am more than happy to look at those. In the time ahead, we will want to ensure that we design public spaces that are public and accessible to people, no matter what their disabilities. I commit to doing that.”