Disabled rights given €2m boost

Almost €2m was granted to projects across the country today to empower people with disabilities to champion their rights.

Social Affairs Minister Seamus Brennan said the new funding and guidelines for advocacy services would highlight the rights of disabled people and ensure they are claiming their entitlements in full.

“A proper, professional advocacy service is central to championing the rights of those with disabilities, particularly people who may feel at a disadvantage when claiming their entitlements,” Mr Brennan said.

“In essence advocacy is the means of empowering people with disabilities by supporting them to assert their views and rights to entitlements, ensuring their independence and, where necessary, representing and negotiating on their behalf.”

The 13 projects across the voluntary and community sector will each receive €140,000 over two years to develop and employ an advocate to work with a range of people with disabilities under the new guidelines.

Comhairle, the statutory body operating under the Social Affairs Department, published the guidelines in preparation for the services contained in the Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004 which will come before the Dail this year.

Mr Brennan said the programme of funding would provide trained advocates to assist people with a disability in addressing or seeking services to help with their individual needs and options.

The advocates will help people living with different types of dementia, people who wish to move into independent living, those in long-term residential services and aid young people with learning disabilities to complete their education.

Under the new programme people with mental health difficulties will also be assisted in leaving hospital and supported in making the transition back into their communities.

Around 66 applications were received for funding with a high level of interest among service providers, disability representative groups and people with disabilities in advocacy services.

Mr Brennan said the programme would be extended in the next few years.

Some of the groups to benefit from the funding included the Alzheimer’s Society, which provides services to around 2,500 people with dementia, Schizophrenia Ireland, Steer Ireland, the Sligo Interagency Disability Group, MS Ireland, Carlow Centre for Independent Living and Cheshire Community Services.