Ahern ‘guilty of gross hypocrisy on disability’

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern has been accused of gross hypocrisy by encouraging people to improve the lives of the disabled while refusing to introduce rights-based legislation.

Speaking yesterday at the launch of the European Year of People with Disabilities Make a Difference Campaign, the Taoiseach urged people to renew the generosity of spirit so apparent during the Special Olympics.

They should turn their goodwill towards improving the everyday lives of 400,000 people living with disabilities.

However, the National Parents and Siblings Alliance, an umbrella body representing 52 disability groups, said Mr Ahern, who is patron of the European Year of People with Disabilities, had turned his back on the disabled.

Mr Ahern said he believed the campaign would be a vital catalyst in encouraging people to make Ireland a better place for people with disabilities.

“He was there at the launch exhorting people to adopt the 100 ways drafted by people with disabilities as suggestions to businesses and family and friends on how to help disabled people improve their lives,” said Alliance spokesman Séamus Greene.

“Yet, the one pledge that he, and only he, can deliver on, he has chosen to ignore. Pledge number 84 says ‘Support rights-based legislation’. His Government has not done this.

“I am seriously upset and disgusted that our leader cannot do this one important thing. It is a remarkable contradiction for him to encourage others to help the disabled when he has not led by example.”

Last year, a Disability Bill was scrapped before the General Election after mass objections from disability groups. A Disability Legislative Consultative Group was then set up to make submissions for a new bill.

The campaign, launched yesterday, which the alliance supports, is backed-up by a booklet listing 100 ways businesses and members of the general community can help improve the lives of the disabled.

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