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Disability

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Assisted by Colin O'Shaughnessy, Ahmad is uses a robotic exoskeleton to walk during a rehabilitation session at Elite Fitness Cork, Marina Commercial Park. Picture: Cian O'Regan</p>

munster

Gym owner helping 'as many people as we can' with hi-tech equipment for wheelchair users and long-covid sufferers

'We charge people a nominal fee if they can pay for it,' says Colin O’Shaughnessy, owner of Elite Fitness Cork. 'If they can’t pay, then we pay for them.'

<p>20-month-old Arlo Neill suffers from intestinal failure. His parents are bringing a case for discrimination to the WRC on the basis that he is being denied the payment all parents receive to subsidise childcare. Picture: Moya Nolan</p>

news

'Toddler is being discriminated against and denied €5k subsidy due to his disability'

<p>Pearse Doherty said the child was used as a prop Picture: Brian Lawless/PA</p>

politics

Child with cerebral palsy was ‘prop’ for Government photo opportunity, Dáil told

MixCollage-17-Jan-2025-04-36-PM-3143

Caitríona Redmond: Ticketmaster said 'No' — but this reader didn’t back down

A disabled girl in a wheelchair and her dad on a walk reading a book

news

More than 9,000 children with disabilities wait over a year for first contact

File Photo The Health Service Executive has said it is working to establish how many patients may need to have their medical tes

news

Disability Appeals Office upheld all 44 cases it considered last year

'Kids with Down syndrome can get left behind': Charity aims to help members after they leave school

'Kids with Down syndrome can get left behind': Charity aims to help members after they leave school

Over 100 cyclists will take part in the Tour de Munster, which runs from August 8 to August 11, raising much-needed funds for Down Syndrome Ireland and other deserving charities.

Thu, 08 Aug, 2024

Make Budget 2025 an inclusive education budget, says charity CEO

Make Budget 2025 an inclusive education budget, says charity CEO

Families of children with intellectual disabilities are "fighting to get access to what should be basic rights for their child", Inclusion Ireland stated in its pre budget submission..

Wed, 31 Jul, 2024

A disabled girl in a wheelchair and her dad on a walk reading a book

Coalition row brewing over supports for children with disabilities

Fianna Fáil wants therapists to be directly hired by the Department of Education but Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman believes it should stay under the control of HSE

Sun, 07 Jul, 2024

Families urged to discuss healthcare wishes after 4% said they have plan recorded

Families urged to discuss healthcare wishes after 4% said they have plan recorded

A Red C poll has found that just 23% understand what an advance healthcare directive is, and just 4% said that a healthcare professional had ever asked them if they have one

Tue, 04 Jun, 2024

Government scrapping Green Paper on Disability Reform following storm of criticism

Government scrapping Green Paper on Disability Reform following storm of criticism

Proposed changes to disability allowance payments included establishment of a three-tiered system

Fri, 12 Apr, 2024

Taoiseach visit to the US

Letters to the Editor: Three key questions Leo Varadkar should ask Joe Biden

During his St Patrick's Day visit to the US, Action Aid is urging the Taoiseach to challenge US president Joe Biden about Gaza

Sat, 16 Mar, 2024

IWA REPORT

'Poor design' of public transport infrastructure 'unsafe', says disability charity

Elaine Howley, who has impaired vision, said: 'My life is changing, and my independence is being reduced.'

Tue, 27 Feb, 2024

Education Feature

Thirty five per cent of disabled children endure seclusion, while 27% suffer restraint at school

One parent claimed their son 'stripped naked multiple times due to distress' after being 'dragged across a school floor' into an autism class

Wed, 21 Feb, 2024

Physical Impairment Ireland Protest

S Fergus Finlay: Yes vote is only a step towards getting disability services right

People with disabilities are at the end of every queue, but a referendum no vote will do nothing whatever to remedy that

Tue, 06 Feb, 2024

NTA Wayfinding Centre in Dublin

Centre to help people with disabilities access public transport unveiled

It is understood that just 6% of people in Ireland with disabilities use public transport

Wed, 31 Jan, 2024

Autism Syndrome Person

Mick Clifford: Assessment of need must amount to more than a ‘box-ticking exercise’

In the wake of an important High Court judgment this month, thousands of children with disabilities may have to have their educational needs reassessed

Fri, 26 Jan, 2024

Waiting Room

'Advocacy helps': Service outlines help it gives to patients, disabled and bereaved

Rosemary Smyth said advocacy 'ensures best practice across public services, and it promotes positive systemic changes when necessary.'

Mon, 15 Jan, 2024

'It was worth the fight': Disability campaigner finally moves into her own home

'It was worth the fight': Disability campaigner finally moves into her own home

Earlier this year, Geraldine Lavelle told the 'Irish Examiner' about having to spend a decade in an institution. Now she tells SORCHA CROWLEY about her delight at having her own home

Thu, 21 Dec, 2023

Energy costs

Here are the three cost-of-living payments from Budget 2024 that will be paid this week

More than €2.3bn worth of once-off payments were being put aside as part of Budget 2024

Mon, 20 Nov, 2023

'We provide a valuable service to the State': Carer says budget measures don't go far enough

'We provide a valuable service to the State': Carer says budget measures don't go far enough

Carer Lena Mulligan's client Carolyn Akintola said she was 'very disappointed' one-off disability grant of €500 given last year was not 'even mentioned in the budget'

Wed, 11 Oct, 2023

Silhouette of Man Encouraging Handicapped Boy in Wheelchair

Safety concerns forcing staff to leave children’s disability service teams

The HSE has said there are 700 vacancies across the 91 children’s disability network teams

Mon, 09 Oct, 2023

CC HEALTH WORKER PROTEST

Care crisis: Tusla warns that strike cannot disrupt services as carers campaign for pay parity

Service users and managers alike tell the 'Irish Examiner' they are backing the staff of groups such as Family Resource Centres in their bid to restore pay parity

Mon, 09 Oct, 2023

Care crisis: 'I was just sitting at home, all day, every day' without a personal assistant

Care crisis: 'I was just sitting at home, all day, every day' without a personal assistant

Irish Wheelchair Association service users tell Niamh Griffin of their anger, distress, and confusion about the forthcoming strike — but say they support the Section 39 staff bid for pay parity

Sun, 08 Oct, 2023

Because our independence matters to us

Fergus Finlay: People with disabilities battling against a cruel and mad system

Last week the independent Senator Tom Clonan wrote a powerful article here about people with disabilities. The headline on his piece, based on a phrase he used, was “Disability rights are in freefall”.

Tue, 03 Oct, 2023

Disabled Adult People Travel In Wheelchair At Airport

Tom Clonan: Disability rights in Ireland are in free fall — and new proposals will make it worse

The proposal to 'categorise' a person's disability revolving around a 'capacity to work' will further humiliate and harm disabled Irish citizens

Mon, 25 Sep, 2023

People with disabilities enduring a crisis within a crisis when it comes to housing, says IWA

People with disabilities enduring a crisis within a crisis when it comes to housing, says IWA

The Irish Wheelchair Association wants building regulations changed so that people with physical disabilities are not forced to live in unsuitable, inaccessible housing

Tue, 19 Sep, 2023

Close-up of person touching hand of senior woman. Home assistance concept. Elderly female hand holding hand of young caregiver a

Letters to the Editor: Integrated healthcare is making a difference to older people

Two readers offer first-hand perspectives on healthcare for older people in Ireland, while other readers consider issues including public sector pay, transport, and peace in the Middle East

Tue, 19 Sep, 2023

Call for monitoring mechanism to hold State to account

Call for monitoring mechanism to hold State to account

Disability Action Plan is expected to be published shortly

Tue, 05 Sep, 2023

Baby boy taking first steps

Infertility: Cabinet set to approve publicly-funded IVF and IUI fertility treatments

Health Minister to bring memo to Cabinet on Tuesday, with the first schemes due to begin rolling out to eligible couples in September

Tue, 25 Jul, 2023

Irish Wildlife Trust and Extinction Rebellion protest

Jennifer Horgan: Transport is power — people with disabilities just want to get around

We need to make our transport system truly accessible for all

Fri, 14 Jul, 2023

Because our independence matters to us

Letters to the Editor: Community fund unfit to provide wheelchairs

It seems to take a lot of pushing and shoving to get a wheelchair in this country, but sadly those in need will not be pushing or shoving their badly needed chairs without enormous lobbying and begging on their part.

Mon, 26 Jun, 2023

Soccer - Barclays Under 21 Premier League - Liverpool v Southampton - Liverpool Academy

Groups call for a 'joined-up' approach to promoting better inclusion in sport

Oireachtas committee hears from groups representing people marginalised due to attitudes to race, gender, or disability

Wed, 21 Jun, 2023

'They have beaten all the odds': Cork's Benhaffaf twins graduate from primary school

'They have beaten all the odds': Cork's Benhaffaf twins graduate from primary school

'If it wasn’t for my mum I would not be standing on this stage,' says Hassan Benhaffaf

Wed, 21 Jun, 2023

Irish Examiner view: State’s ongoing failure a scandal

Irish Examiner view: State’s ongoing failure a scandal

Disabled driving

Thu, 15 Jun, 2023

'Shameful, unfair, unacceptable': Ombudsman hits out at inaction on accessible transport

'Shameful, unfair, unacceptable': Ombudsman hits out at inaction on accessible transport

Office of the Ombudsman 2022 report shows it fielded 20% more complaints than the previous year

Wed, 14 Jun, 2023

'There are so many barriers for disabled women,' says Waterford campaigner

'There are so many barriers for disabled women,' says Waterford campaigner

Aoife Price is a member of the Irish delegation to the European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities

Tue, 23 May, 2023

Lack of funding forcing children with additional needs to travel across Cork county to school

Lack of funding forcing children with additional needs to travel across Cork county to school

“It is a lot to ask a child or parent from north Cork, to send their children to someplace like, for instance, Rochestown, and have to go through the Jack Lynch tunnel on a daily basis.”

Wed, 17 May, 2023

'School is what brings out the best in Leah'

'School is what brings out the best in Leah'

The parents of a child with complex needs are devastated on her behalf that she can no longer attend school, writes Caroline Delaney

Mon, 24 Apr, 2023

Students sitting in amphitheater

Jess Casey: People with disabilities still face challenges getting into third level

Special needs assistants tell Fórsa's education conference that students are being excluded at the first rung of the ladder

Fri, 14 Apr, 2023

Lansdowne House Workplace Relations Commission

Shop ordered to pay €15,000 to intellectually disabled woman wrongly accused of shoplifting

The complainant was awarded €15,000 after being discriminated against following a case of mistaken identity

Wed, 12 Apr, 2023

Disability advocate faces losing her car due to €23k Vat bill

Disability advocate faces losing her car due to €23k Vat bill

Limerick woman Leigh Gath said Vat and VRT bills for her modified van represent another example of legislation discriminating against people with disabilities

Sat, 18 Mar, 2023

Arsenal v Everton - Premier League - Emirates Stadium

Arsenal become first club to provide sign language service at every home game

The Gunners have been trialling the initiative, which has now been made permanent.

Fri, 10 Mar, 2023

Families urge Donnelly to hold inquiry into use of epilepsy drug during pregnancy

Families urge Donnelly to hold inquiry into use of epilepsy drug during pregnancy

Fetal Vaproate Syndrome can include spina bifida, congenital heart defects, genital abnormalities, skeletal abnormalities, and developmental delay.

Sat, 04 Mar, 2023

Irish Examiner view: Inaccessibility is unacceptable

Irish Examiner view: Inaccessibility is unacceptable

Spike Island gaffe

Thu, 23 Feb, 2023

People with disabilities 'need action rather than committees', says Ombudsman

People with disabilities 'need action rather than committees', says Ombudsman

Personal transport supports for people with disabilities are inadequate, unfair, and inequitable, Ombudsman Ger Deering told the Oireachtas committee on autism.

Tue, 14 Feb, 2023

Disabled people 'isolated' due to lack of personal assistance hours, says advocate

Disabled people 'isolated' due to lack of personal assistance hours, says advocate

Gary Kearney says the medical model approach means many people with disabilities do not leave their homes beyond grocery shopping

Mon, 05 Dec, 2022

Lack of personal assistance hours leaves some people with disabilities 'confined to their homes'

Lack of personal assistance hours leaves some people with disabilities 'confined to their homes'

A “significant majority” wanted a broader range of supports to be available, such as support for social activities

Fri, 02 Dec, 2022

Homeless and deaf, Amy is longing for a 'forever home'

Homeless and deaf, Amy is longing for a 'forever home'

Amy-Lee Joyce is deaf, and . Here, she speaks about her experiences. "I’m 25 years old now, I've been homeless for three years.

Tue, 29 Nov, 2022

File Photo The Health Service Executive has said it is working to establish how many patients may need to have their medical tes

Judge orders HSE to appear in court after 'dramatic' rise in Assessment of Need cases

The applicants typically seek declarations that the HSE has failed to complete the assessment of the children's needs within a reasonable period of time

Mon, 21 Nov, 2022