Disability groups urge Government to honour rights pledge

DISABILITY groups last night urged the Government not to renege on its promise to introduce rights-based legislation for the disabled next November.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell yesterday announced plans to introduce a new Disability Bill in the coming weeks. However, Mr McDowell hinted that funding and resources could influence an independent officer's assessment of a disabled person's needs.

"Of course the deciding officer or the independent appeals officer will not take their decision in a vacuum: issues such as the availability of resources and staff will be taken into account," he said at the Youth Beyond Disability International Conference in Dublin Castle.