Government under fire over Disability Bill

THE Government was accused last night of deliberately shelving new disability laws until after the forthcoming local and European elections.

The long-awaited Disability Bill will not contain the promised rights to services for people with disabilities, the Department of Justice confirmed yesterday.

Today in Dáil Éireann, the Taoiseach will yet again be asked when the delayed legislation will be published.

Following the broadcast last night of RTÉ’s Prime Time investigation on the inadequate state of services in the country for the intellectually disabled, opposition parties will seek to pressurise Mr Ahern on the Government’s failure to live up to its commitments.

At the start of the year, the Government said the publication of the Disability Bill was a top priority, but there is still no sign of the finished product.

Reaffirming previous statements by Junior Health Minister Tim O’Malley and Junior Justice Minister Willie O’Dea, the Department of Justice confirmed the legislation will include the right to an assessment of needs, but the provision of services will depend upon available resources. Effectively this means people with disabilities will find out what services they need, but with no guarantee of receiving these treatments.

According to a Department of Justice spokesperson, the bill is currently with the Cabinet sub-committee on social inclusion, so there is no date available for its publication.

Disability rights groups and opposition parties said last night the Government is deliberately not going to publish it until after the elections to avoid it becoming a campaign issue on the doorsteps.

National Association for Severe and Profound Mental Handicap general secretary Deirdre Carroll said the lack of publication was down to media management ahead of the elections. “Let’s see it and let’s see what is in it. It would give the electorate a chance to decide their views on it. I think its better that we have it coming now so people will ask questions of the candidates, particularly from the Government parties,” she said.

Describing the continuing delays as an absolute disgrace, Fine Gael disability rights spokesman David Stanton said it is not credible to believe consultation is still continuing. “There is no reason why it can’t be published now. It looks as though they are waiting until after the local and European elections as it won’t match up to what people need,” he said.

The original Disability Bill was dramatically withdrawn in 2002, just months before the general election, due to trenchant criticism of its contents from disability groups.