A new centre for independent living has opened in Co Galway.

The Galway Centre for Independent Living has been described as a "forerunner" in providing professional services to facilitate a person's choice to live independently.

Minister of State with responsibility for Disabilities, Finian McGrath TD, said: "Thanks to the early advocacy work by people like Ronnie Conlon and the late Martin Naughton, it is now accepted that the provision of a Personal Assistant Service is critical to this independence.

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"Words and language help to shape our thinking about the roles we assign to people and our expectations of their capacity. And so the description of the service user as a Leader in the Personal Assistant Service demonstrates clearly that it is the person with the disability who provides the direction.

"This ensures that the control and decision-making rests with the person with the disability."

(CD/LM)