Tánaiste take time out to discover talent in Abundance
The event, which also marked World Happiness Day, saw the self-described ‘happiness expert’ outline their entrepreneurship initiative for people with intellectual disabilities to guests, including Tánaiste Simon Harris.
Praising the initiative, the Tánaiste said he is “rarely blown away or lost for words,” and described the occasion as “one of the best I have ever attended”.
He highlighted the “energy, positivity and happiness, smarts and intelligence” in the room and said it is “really inspiring” while acknowledging that more can be done.
“This is a day I won’t forget for a very long time, a day when a son and father team came together and said, ‘we are not going to just look after ourselves, we are going to make sure that we make Ireland better’ and that is your legacy.”
Fionn became the first person in Ireland with an intellectual disability to manage his own disability supports
A Harvard Law School fellow, filmmaker and fiddle player, Fionn is one half of Fionnathan Productions with his father, Jonathan. Together, they were named Irish Men of the Year for Inclusion Advocacy through Arts and Culture.
“Fionn became the first person in Ireland with an intellectual disability to manage his own disability supports,” Jonathan explained at the event.
“To make this happen, the HSE suggested that we set up a company that they would consider a service provider for one person. We didn’t think having a company would affect us in other ways but then we realised that it solves a problem.
“As a busker playing traditional Irish music here in Galway, Fionn makes plenty of money in tips or, when it’s raining, no tips at all.
“Fionn is on disability benefit payment so he is expected to declare his income. But social services were not thrilled with the week-by-week rollercoaster of his earnings. We realised that we could fold all our sources of income into the company including our fees for guest lectures.”
Minister of State and Galway East TD Seán Canney (Ind) said the duo “are trying to make life better for everyone who has a challenge” and said he hoped the initiative “will be repeated throughout the country.”
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme