Call for every college to offer courses for people with Down Syndrome

EVERY college in Ireland has been urged to provide courses in contemporary living for people with Down Syndrome to ensure they are not “blocked off” from meaningful roles in society.

Speaking after the first day of an international conference on the condition in Dublin, support group Down Syndrome Ireland claimed that without the move thousands of people will be prevented from living an active life.

Courses are currently available for a small number of people in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Dundalk IT, and Trinity College.

However, criticising the lack of emphasis on expanding the services in other institutes, new president of Down Syndrome International and vice president of Down Syndrome Ireland, Pat Clarke, said without the policy change people with the condition will continue to be treated as second-class citizens.

“I would feel there’s a need for courses in every college around the country,” said Mr Clarke.

“A person with Down Syndrome wants to live an independent life. They want to be employed and to live independently, and the courses on offer help them to do that.

“People with Down Syndrome are also living a lot longer. Twenty years ago the average life expectancy was about 30. Now it’s about 55-60 and that brings other issues that weren’t on the agenda before.

“People with Down Syndrome need to be given the opportunity to live an active life. Many of them have gone through the mainstream school system and need to be given an opportunity,” said Mr Clarke.

While no national registry for people with the condition is currently in place, Down Syndrome Ireland has said that as many as 6,000 people in the country have Down Syndrome.

The majority of these individuals could play an important role in society if given the opportunity, the group said, further emphasising the need to provide increased opportunities.

The comments came after the first day of the International Synod of People with Down Syndrome conference at the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham.

During the conference, which will continue until Saturday, more than 100 adults with Down Syndrome said issues such as a lack of employment and independent living were impacting on their lives.