Table of Contents
About The Podcast
The Right to Ordinary Podcast
Real conversations about rights, inclusion and living an ordinary life.
A Right to Ordinary is Inclusion Ireland’s podcast exploring the issues that matter most to people with intellectual disabilities, families and supporters. Every episode breaks down complex topics into plain language, shares lived experience, and offers practical information you can use.
Why this podcast?
Knowledge is the first step towards power.
Too often, disability policy, legislation and services are explained using complicated language. That can leave people feeling confused or like decisions are being made for them.
A Right to Ordinary helps make these systems easier to understand.
Each episode explores one important topic through honest conversations with self-advocates, families and experts, helping listeners understand their rights, ask informed questions and make decisions with confidence.
Episodes
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Episode 1
Available Now
Episode 1 – The Right to Ordinary Begins Here
In our first episode, we explore ableism – what it is, where it comes from, and how it continues to shape the lives of people with intellectual disabilities every day. Through honest conversation and powerful lived experience, we look at how discrimination can be built into our attitudes, language and systems, often creating unnecessary barriers to work, education, housing and decision-making.
Self-advocate Lydia Fisher shares her personal journey, from overcoming barriers to employment and learning to drive to regaining her right to make her own decisions after leaving Ward of Court. We also hear from Fiachra O’Connor, who explains how ableism shows up in society, why language matters, and what each of us can do to challenge discrimination.
Together, the conversation highlights why creating an Ireland where everyone can live an ordinary, self-directed life requires both personal reflection and systemic change
Key Topics
- Understanding ableism and how it affects everyday life
- The lasting impact of institutionalisation
- Employment and equal opportunities
- Supported decision-making and leaving Ward of Court
- Accessible systems and removing barriers
- The power of language and challenging stereotypes
- Becoming anti-ableist and creating inclusive communities
Resources:
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Episode 2
Understanding Supported Decision-Making
About this episode:
Making decisions is something we all do every day, but for many people with intellectual disabilities, having their choices heard and respected has not always been guaranteed. In this episode, we explore the Assisted Decision-Making Act, what it means in practice, and why supported decision-making is about empowering people to lead their own lives – not taking families out of the picture.Derval is joined by Molly O’Keefe, founder of Positive Pathways and a long-time advocate for family leadership and inclusion.
Drawing on both her professional experience and her family’s journey, Molly shares practical examples of how people can be supported to make decisions in ways that reflect their own wishes, preferences and relationships.
We also hear from Fiachra O’Connor, who explains the Assisted Decision-Making Act in plain language, addresses common misconceptions, and outlines the practical supports available for people and families.
Together, the conversation highlights that good decision-making starts with relationships, trust and listening, ensuring every person has the opportunity to shape their own life and future.
Key topics
- What the Assisted Decision-Making Act means in practice
- Common myths and misunderstandings about the legislation
- The important role of families and natural supports
- Supporting people to express their will and preferences
- Everyday and major life decisions
- Practical tools, including communication passports and vision planning
- How to access information and support through the Decision Support Service (DSS)
Resources:
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Episode 3
Episode 3 – The Cost of Exclusion: Why Does Being Disabled Cost More?
Why should it cost more to live an ordinary life simply because you are disabled?
Disabled people often face additional costs for things that non-disabled people can take for granted – from transport, heating and housing to medication, therapies, equipment and taking part in everyday life.
But are these really the costs of disability? Or are many of them the costs of exclusion – created by inaccessible services, systems and communities?
In this episode of The Right to Ordinary, Derval McDonagh explores the real impact these additional costs have on disabled people and their families, and why this is about much more than money.
We hear about the difficult choices people can be forced to make when there isn’t enough money to meet basic needs, and how additional costs can lead to poverty, loneliness, isolation and exclusion from community life.
The conversation also looks at the bigger picture: inaccessible transport and housing, barriers to employment, gaps in disability supports and a social welfare system that can restrict people’s choices and independence.
Derval is joined by disability advocate Amy Hassett, co-founder and co-chairperson of Disabled Women Ireland, who explains why the cost of exclusion is fundamentally a human rights and equality issue.
We also hear from our resident Human Rights Advocate Fiachra O’Connor, who discusses the structural inequalities facing people with intellectual disabilities and what needs to change.
With Budget 2027 approaching, the episode asks what Government must do next – including introducing a permanent payment that reflects the real additional costs disabled people face, while also tackling the systems and barriers that create those costs in the first place.
Because the goal shouldn’t simply be to help disabled people pay for exclusion. It should be to remove the barriers that create it.
In this episode
We discuss:
- What we mean by the cost of exclusion
- The additional everyday costs disabled people can face
- How inaccessible housing, transport, services and workplaces create additional costs
- The link between disability, poverty and social exclusion
- Why this is a human rights and equality issue
- The impact of current social welfare rules and supports
- What a permanent Cost of Disability payment should look like
- Why any new payment must be designed with disabled people
- What Government and wider society need to change
- How people can make their voices heard ahead of Budget 2027
Take action
Budget 2027 is an opportunity for Government to take meaningful action on the cost of exclusion.
Inclusion Ireland is calling for a permanent Cost of Disability payment that reflects the real additional costs disabled people face. This must be part of wider action to remove the barriers that prevent disabled people from participating equally in everyday life.
You can help by contacting your local TD and asking them to support action on the cost of exclusion in Budget 2027.
Follow The Right to Ordinary wherever you get your podcasts to hear future episodes, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear this conversation.
Resources
Our Rights, Our Voices – Inclusion Ireland’s Pre-Budget Submission for 2027
Our Rights, Our Voices – Easy-to-Read Version
Have Your Say on Budget 2027 campaign resources
Find your local TD’s details at ContactMyTD.ie
Cost of Disability public consultation submission – Video Explainer
Benefits for people who are sick or have a disability – Citizens Information
Factsheet: Cost of Disability – Disability Federation of Ireland
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Episode 4 - Coming Soon
Housing and Supported Living
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Episode 5 - Coming Soon
Inclusive Education
Why inclusive education matters and how children can be supported to learn alongside their peers
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Episode 6 - Coming Soon
Relationships, Love and Belonging
Exploring friendships, relationships and challenging stereotypes
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