Reforms ‘must protect disability rights’

RADICAL law reforms are needed to ensure intellectually disabled people have more control over decisions in their lives, Justice Minister Michael McDowell told a conference in Dublin over the weekend.

Mr McDowell said disabled people were being stripped of their basic human rights because of a lack of legal protection in the areas of guardianship and decision making.

“The present situation is unsatisfactory for both people with intellectual disabilities and for their families, carers and service providers,” he said.