Special Olympics’ failed legacy

THE Special Olympics in Ireland last summer has had no lasting impact in terms of making disability a key political issue in Ireland, according to the latest Irish Examiner/Prime Time opinion poll, conducted by Lansdowne Market Research.

A majority of people believe that the Games had only a brief impact, or no impact at all, in bringing to the fore the issue of disability in Ireland.

The largest number of respondents (47%) believed the Games had a brief impact in highlighting the importance of the issue, but that impact had since faded.

A further 9% believed it had no impact whatsoever.

The Games, held in June 2003, attracted 10,000 athletes from around the world and generated enormous public reaction in Ireland.

Eleven months after the Games, only 14% of those polled were of the opinion that it made disability a key political issue, while the second largest group, comprising 29%, believed the Special Olympics had made disability a more important issue.

The findings indicate that the goodwill and momentum generated by Ireland playing host to the Special Olympics has not ‘carried’ in terms of prioritising disability as a political issue.

Groups campaigning for disability rights have contrasted the Government’s backing and support for the Games with what they portray as its lack of continuing commitment to rights for those with disabilities.

In particular, the groups have been critical about the delay in publishing the long-awaited Disability Bill amid suspicions that the Government will not agree to extend legally enforceable rights to people with disabilities, a key demand of campaigners.

Government ministers have pointed to the fact that rights-based legislation is not the norm in most other EU countries. They have also intimated that the costs associated with providing such rights would be prohibitive for the State.

Meanwhile, the poll findings also indicate a lack of enthusiasm for any proposal to fund State-supported childcare by increased taxation. Over half the respondents (57%) said they would be opposed to the idea with only 34% expressing support.

The strongest support came, unsurprisingly, from the 25-34 age group (45%). This group would be expected to contain the highest number of parents with young children.

Surprisingly, among the 35-49 age group, the level of support fell sharply to only 30%, which was lower than the 50-64 group, where the percentage was 41%.

Those most opposed to the proposition were the youngest group aged between 18 and 24 (29%) and those over 65 years of age (23%).

The poll was carried out in the East Constituency on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

The sample was 500 people interviewed at 50 sampling points throughout the 12-county constituency.