Groups say Disability Bill will only assess needs

Representatives of groups working with disabled people today said they fear impending legislation in the area will contain the right to assess the needs of a disabled person, and nothing else.

Mr Seanus Greene, co-ordinator of the National Parents and Siblings' Alliance, told ireland.comthat this assessment was akin to telling disabled person what they required but were not going to get.

Today, the Rights Make The Difference campaign - made up of 14 groups working with people with disabilities and their families, presented a petition with 70,000 signatures to an official from the Department of Justice, where the junior minister Mr O'Dea has responsibility for the area. Today is world Human Rights Day.

Disability groups are calling for the impending Disability Bill to be rights-based which would give people with disabilities access to the courts in instances where disability services are not provided as agreed.

There has been concern since mid-summer that Mr O'Dea has back-tracked from the Government's apparent commitment to rights-based legislation.

Mr Greene said the reason a rights-based entitlement to services was being sought within the Disability Bill was because "in this country the only way something gets done is when they are forced to do it."

He said representative groups working with the disabled have been informed that the Government wants to publish the Disability Bill before January 27th, 2004.
 
Having the needs of people with disabilities made available as of right has been recommended by the Disability Legislation Consultation Group (DLCG). This group comprises eight organisations working with people with physical and mental disabilities and their families.

An early version of the Disability Bill was withdrawn following criticism from disability groups
over the enforceability of rights and the five- to 13-year time-scale for delivery of some provisions.