Disability groups call for halt in cuts

Nine voluntary disability organisations have described cuts to services and support for people with disabilities as “unsustainable” and have called on the Government not to target them in the budget.

Despite promises in the programme for government to “enhance” the quality of life of those with disabilities, the Government was “going in the other direction”, said  John Dolan, chief executive of the Disability Federation of Ireland.

The Government “needs to urgently rebalance its recovery programme to also protect the right and services and strengthen the supports needed by people with disabilities,” he said.

Any further cuts in supports to people with disabilities would “mark the end of any of this Government’s commitment to people with disabilities”, said Inclusion Ireland chief executive Paddy Connolly.

The organisations came together because of “deep concern” about more than 800,000 people who have had “five years of unprecedented cuts to their ability to live ordinary lives in the community” in relation to their income and their services, Mr Dolan said.

The State would “face the frustration and cost of sustained social stress” as well as “damaging levels of inequality caused by the running down of the social infrastructure after the recession ends,” Mr Dolan said.

The Centre for Independent Living called on the Government to guarantee existing personal assistant funding was ring-fenced and that additional funding be made available to tackle the waiting list.

The organisations making the call today were Disability Federation of Ireland; Care Alliance Ireland; CIL Carmichael; Genetic and Rare Disorders Organisation; Inclusion Ireland; Mental Health Reform; Neurological Alliance of Ireland; Not for Profit Business Association and the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies.

They are seeking three areas of action by the Government: a halt in reductions to basic standards of living for people with disabilities who need social welfare supports, to ensure funding for the services needed by people with disabilities are sustained and to show leadership on an implementation plan for the National Disability Strategy.