Disability groups get backing for rights’ protest

THE main opposition parties have given their support to a protest outside Leinster House tomorrow by disability groups.

NAMHI, which promotes the rights of people with intellectual disabilities, is concerned about swingeing cuts in Government spending in the sector.

The association, which represents 160 disability and voluntary support groups throughout the country, is to highlight the delay in a proposed Disability Bill coming before the Oireachtas.

NAMHI’s general secretary Deirdre Carroll said the group is anxious to have the Disability Rights’ issue put on the Dáil agenda.

She said recent public disagreements between Justice Minister Mr McDowell and junior Minister Tom Kitt on rights’ legislation has heightened fears within the disability sector.

“We are not seeking any superior rights than any other group,” she said. “We feel everybody in the State should have minimal rights and entitlements to certain levels of healthcare and education.”

The group is hoping to have the support of government backbenchers tomorrow.

“We are trying to present this day of action on the disability rights’ issue as being above party politics,” said Ger South, a Limerick-based member of NAMHI.

He said the Fine Gael and Labour leaders together with Independents, Sinn Fein and the Green Party have pledged support.

The group recently urged the organisers of the World Special Olympic Games not to invite government ministers or TDs on photo calls until assurances were given on the long-awaited Disability Bill.

Currently, thousands of people with intellectual disabilities are awaiting residential places or have been denied weekend respite care due to the government’s failure to increase spending in the sector this year.

General Secretary Ms Carroll said there was also increasing concern over the lack of further training or workshop places for young intellectually disabled adults leaving the education system this summer.

She said support groups were given assurances by the Government that a Disability Bill would have been before the Oireachtas in the current term.

“We are worried about recent soundings from the Department of Justice where the Minister allegedly appears to be reluctant to support any new social and economic rights legislation due to the financial implications involved.

“We are not looking for rights to every service in the world but that people would have the right to move on to an option of training, the right of assessment and education along with the right to basic services,” she added.