Joanne attacks plans to cut disability grant

Disability rights advocate Joanne O’Riordan has slammed proposals to axe disability payments for under-18s and called on the Government to instead raise taxes for the rich.

Ms O’Riordan, who was born without limbs, forced the Government to tear up plans to cut the disability allowance for young people under the Coalition’s first budget.

However, a report released yesterday has again suggested that the weekly €188 payment for new claimants be axed, because it was encouraging “early school-leaving and welfare dependency”.