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A NATIONAL PLAN to advance the social inclusion of people with disabilities in Ireland has been launched by the government.
This new plan for the National Disability Strategy was prepared and agreed by the National Disability Strategy Implementation Group and submitted to Government on 23 July 2013.
Its publication is a commitment in the Programme for Government, and is described as “a significant step forward in ensuring progress is achieved in implementing the National Disability Strategy over the next three years”.
However, though the Disability Federation of Ireland has welcomed the plan, it is critical of it in a number of areas.
The plan
The National Disability Strategy is described by Minister for Disability, Equality, Mental Health and Older People Kathleen Lynch as “a whole-of-Government approach to advancing social inclusion of people with disabilities”. She noted that, “in spite of economic challenges, this Plan has been developed to build on the progress that has been made to date and to advance Government’s commitment to improving the lives of people with disabilities”.
The plan calls to action all individuals, organisations, local and national Government to think positively about disability, said Lynch, adding that it is a collaborative effort.
It is also an open invitation to the community and voluntary sectors to work creatively together with statutory agencies and government departments to improve the lives of people with disabilities over the next three years.
The scope of the plan includes a wide range of government departments, and recognises that the needs of individuals with disabilities change as they age.
It contains a number of themes, ‘independence and choice’, ‘participation’, ‘equal citizens’ and ‘maximise potential’.
The High Level Goals of the plan are:
Each Goal has specific objectives and actions through which it will be achieved.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Alan Shatter, TD, welcomed the plan and praised the work undertaken by Minister Lynch.
Reaction
The Disability Federation of Ireland has welcomed the plan, saying that it “gives a re-commitment to the high level goals of people with disabilities being treated as equal citizens, independence and choice, participation, and maximising potential”.
However, it expressed disappointment in there being a number of areas where it says the plan falls short of what Ireland has committed to achieving for people with disabilities.
John Dolan, CEO of DFI said that “overall it lacks ambition, and does not include many of the priority actions which DFI have suggested since the start of the drafting process for the Plan”.
He said that there is no priority given to the important role played by existing community services and supports funded through the HSE, and other Departments, that enable people’s access and participation in life in the community.
Equally, there is no mention of supports such as Personal Assistance, a vital support in independent living for many people.
He described disability as a societal issue, and not a sectoral one, and said DFI’s key concern “is that we are not seeing the ambition at government level to deliver on these high level goals”.
Underpinning this whole process is inadequate public service reform which is crucial for the successful implementation of the National Disability Strategy. There is a conflict between the actions stated in the NDSIP, and the reality of Government decisions that have been taken over the past number of years. There has been a ‘chipping away’ at both disability specific supports and mainstream supports representing a complete lack of understanding of the challenges faced by people with disabilities trying to live an ordinary life with health and well-being in their own communities.
DFI and others have also emphasised on a number of occasions that timelines for achieving the various actions are “too weak or inadequate”, with the term ‘ongoing’ being overly used.
Dolan said the Plan is not comprehensive, and “lacks a true whole of government approach”.
He said that fulfilling the commitment made in the Plan to cross-departmental and cross agency working “will require new approaches and in many cases, a cultural shift in ways of working”.
“Although we welcome this Implementation Plan, we strongly believe that people with disabilities deserve better.”
He also said that robust implementation will be required if Ireland is to fulfil its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is to be ratified shortly.
Fine Gael Clare Senator and Seanad Spokesperson on Justice, Disability and Equality, Martin Conway, said he has “no doubt [the plan] will spearhead improvements in the quality of life of people with disabilities by providing a clear framework for collaboration across Government and with the disability sector to achieve common goals”.
The National Disability Strategy Implementation Plan is available on the Department of Justice and Equality website: www.justice.ie.
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This is all lip service, there has been continual cuts in disability services and allowances. Cuts to the most vulnerable in society who in many instances can’t easily mobilise themselves to protest.
How can the equal right of all citizens be recognised on the one hand while any cost that is incurred to enable that right is taken away?
More BS and lies from the government, just the usual spin to push the can up the road until they are finally kicked out. None of this will ever be implemented, open your eyes
More of the standard anti-government commentary from Journal. Here’s a handy tip to save the rest of the moaners some time. Just cut and paste this comment into any thread. It doesn’t even have to about the government.
Is this the value for money con job that the government are trying to introduce. They want a yellow pack service for people with disabilities.
Angie exactly what do you disagree with regarding the framework?
Exactly what part of my comment do you misunderstand? This ‘framework’ will never be realized, its just another long list of lies and plans that never see the light of day.
What basis do you have for that sweeping statement Angela?
THE 5 POINT PLAN
YES FOR LISBON IS YES FOR JOBS
HOUSEHOLD TAX NOW BEING SPENT ON BOND HOLDERS INSTEAD OF LOCAL SERVICES
CHILDREN HOSPITAL
ANY ONE OF THE NUMEROUS JOB ACTIVATION PLANS
THE ‘CONTRACT FOR A BETTER IRELAND’
Hardly a sweeping statement
Angie do you realise that,just because something doesn’t deliver what’s expected of it does not make it a lie. If you’re too stupid to realise that, then deck off and emigrate instead of trolling and moaning on the internet.
I have just answered your question, politely, intelligently, factually and accurately. I refrained from insulting you, I did not mock your ignorance, low intellect and naivety because I knew I would not have to. Your only retort is the usual predictable “Troll” and “You’re a fool” and “Uh if you dont like Ireland leave uhu snort dribble” and juvenile name calling. You are embarrassing yourself, name calling is the last refuge of the ignorant. I assure you little man, you are neither the benchmark of my intellect or measure of my knowledge. Now run along and chew on some paint chip, lick a politicians face or do whatever it is pointless people like you do
“I have just answered your question, politely, intelligently, factually and accurately.” hmm This isn’t exactly true is it now Angie? Your sweeping statement assumes that everything was a lie and that no other factors were involved in the relative failures or successes of the caplocked dribble that you mentioned above. You’re obviously too dim to comprehend that knowledge requires synthesis and comprehension of data, not just blanketely stating that everything is a lie.
“I refrained from insulting you, I did not mock your ignorance, low intellect and naivety because I knew I would not have to.” Yes you did refrain until you mentioned a few lines later, “Now run along and chew on some paint chip, lick a politicians face or do whatever it is pointless people like you do”. Is not drinking your own coolade a sign of intellectual prowess?
“Your only retort is the usual predictable “Troll” and “You’re a fool” and “Uh if you dont like Ireland leave uhu snort dribble” and juvenile name calling. You are embarrassing yourself, name calling is the last refuge of the ignorant. I assure you little man, you are neither the benchmark of my intellect or measure of my knowledge.” Well Angie the benchmark of your knowledge and intellect is the absolute sh*te that you spout on here. Examples being :
“Its very difficult to believe anything the Irish government says, they always seem to be lying”. Another sweeping statement with no factual basis following which you linked a song by DJ Careys brother, do you also listen to Bach?
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cut the salaries of these windbags in half and it would go a long way to feeding and homing the poor in the country. Start with the presidents salary and work down, obscene.” We already have the highest levels of social welfare in the EU, we also give obscene amounts of rent allowance. Cutting politicians salaries is a good idea but would make no more a dent in our deficit then trying to block the port tunnel with a banana.
I could go on but I’ll stop.
She destroyed you dude, you got owned. Leave it be :(
Still waiting to hear what Angie Pangie thinks.
Actually Aideen/Sophie/Angie, from a cursory google of both Aideen Duval/ Angie Dalt, I do believe that you are in fact the same person. You have remarkably similar prose/outlook. How effin sad is it to log onto a different account to agree with yourself on the internet.
You sad strange person.
Any chance of lifting the cap on SNAs? Probably not. A generation of children will suffer the consequences & the tax payer will incur the substantial remedial costs.
I have just answered your question, politely, intelligently, factually and accurately. I refrained from insulting you, I did not mock your ignorance, low intelect and naivety because I knew I would not have to. Your only retort is the usual predictable “Troll” and “You’re a fool” and “Uh if you dont like Ireland leave uhu snort dribble” and juvenile name calling. You are embarrassing yourself, name calling is the last refuge of the ignorant. I assure you little man, you are neither the benchmark of my intellect or measure of my knowledge. Now run along and chew on some paint chip, lick a politicians face or do whatever it is pointless people like you do
Services and payments cut drastically meanwhile service provision is so bad that you gave to oay for the basics for your lived ones. Highest levels? Maybe but lowest levels of service provision forcing spend on basics like speech therapy . DCA doesn’t even cover a quarter if what you have to oay out. This bs. Government commitment to the disabled is nil and wants to ensure we live in poverty
This government is a mockery of ‘democracy’ . The higher level goals sound good;
that people with disabilities are free from discrimination; are supported to live the life they choose live ordinary lives in ordinary places, participating in the life of the community and are enabled to reach their full potential.
In reality this just doesn’t happen. As a disabled woman in a wheelchair, I’m trapped at home with so few hours of help I just cannot do ANYTHING useful. ‘Participating in the life of the community’ is a joke! ;Enabled to reach their full potential’ yeh well, Kathleen Lynch as ‘Dr’ Margaret Kennedy I was a lecturer, since illness/disability I’m housebound. The brain works fine…I want to lecture…I want to ‘reach my full potential’, such patronising claptrap. It’s really a dreadful scam
It’s lovely to think that people with disabilities can live ordinary lives in ordinary places. Sometimes they can’t because they are not ordinary themselves and cannot make choices, especially if they have not the capacity to do so. Sometimes children with very complex special needs cannot make any decisions for themselves at all. They require others to speak on their behalf and do everything for them. Parents can only do this when they have support and services, however when services are not being provided or only given part time then the burden of trying to help their children live as normal lives as possible becomes very difficult. Thus there is no equality, and there is discrimination because you are disabled.
Please can the HSE give the resources or funding that allows those who are disabled and their families looking after them to live the “normal” life the Government wants us to live.
all very well but – SHOW ME THE MONEY. How is this to be costed?. This is the glaring hole. HSE cannot implement anything useful until it has a budget ringfenced for disabilities. Not for emergencies only. All this is specified in the UN CONvention for people with disabilities. How many times have I heard “Soon to be ratified”. Reason it hasnt been ratified………….. there are sections in there which will make it a legal requirement for our government to address funding, Until then its all WORDS. My son with disability turns 18 tomorrow- it is a time of mixed emotions.
delivering services with a view to independent living – a wheelchair i took on the dart and making way to the neurologist in St. vincents, in view of the building across the road the wheel flew off and headed dublin way while i headed into a wall…this is delivering me to independent living. Actually the Wall in this instance was very real, the WALL for us in disability is also very very real. the above mentioned Dr. Margaret Kennedy is my twin sister, we are depressed, and its not a disease in our case, its a state of being disabled by cuts, disabled by Minister Reilly, Minister Lynch and the HSE.
we both know that we are not the only ones, and i just wish we could find better answers to the dilemma rather than accept the state of the living standards for us with disabilities. I cannot in my head or in my being accept this and should not have to and my sister feels the same.
have your say