Watch: Protestors say disabled people 'feel used' by politicians
Cara Darmody at the demonstration by the Disability Coalition outside Leinster House today. She is sleeping outside the Dáil for 50 hours — despite Storm Bran — to highlight delays in getting assessment of need for children with disabilities. Photo: Gareth Chaney
People with disabilities were at the top of the political agenda during the general election, but now they feel used and forgotten — with some hard-up parents going without food so their children can eat, a Dáil protest has heard.
Protesters travelled from West Cork and other areas calling for emergency winter payments and a permanent cost of disability payment. Parents are going without food so children can eat, while adults risk their health by not buying vital equipment, speakers said.
Carolyn Akintola lives with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and uses a wheelchair. She came to the protest with the Disability Federation of Ireland.
“Politicians keep your promises,” she urged. “Just before last year’s election, disabled people were plastered all over every bit of media going. Every politician seemed to want to use the disability card as a way of getting elected.”
However, she added: “Now that you’re elected, we seem to be just cast aside, and I for one feel used.” She called on the Government to deliver a cost of disability payment.
Bernard Mulvany from Access for All described how his disabled daughter has few rights compared to his son, who is not.
“I can’t get my head around this. At the last general election, disability was at the top of the agenda, and we really, really feel we were used,” he said to loud applause.
He said people became “a soundbite” without real follow-up one year on. Parents of children with disability face daily struggles, he explained.
“Can I turn on the heating for an hour today? Will I have a meal today, or will I prioritise my child?
“I can tell you there are families where mammy and daddy are not eating two or three evenings a week because they have to feed their children,” he said.
Sarah Attridge, who has a rare disease which limits her mobility, raised the limited access to employment.
“I find that people with disabilities have the right to work, but it’s so difficult to find employment to suit your needs if you have a disability,” she said. “I’ve found it really impossible in West Cork to find a disability job.”
Her limited budget is challenged by extra payments, such as needing someone to change light bulbs or other daily tasks.
“I live on my own, so there’s plumbing costs, cleaning costs and not all disabled people can do those things, so there’s huge costs,” she said.
“We need to have a cost of disability payment in this country. We’ve been ignored, we’ve been promised change and supports for the cost of living, but we didn’t get any supports.”
Others travelled to highlight how strokes can cause sudden disabilities.
Liam Kelleher from Inniscarra had a stroke in 2017, which changed his life. He praised health workers who helped him recover as much as he did, but he struggles financially.
“I didn’t go through all that pain and suffering for this, to be penniless. There was so much effort put into my recovery, but sometimes now I wonder why did they bother,” he said.
Gloria Kelly, aged 52, from Bandon, had a stroke at just 10. Now using a wheelchair, she said: “I came here because of the cost of living and transport. I have to get taxis everywhere, I can’t get a bus.”
Likewise, Chris Murphy from Millstreet described being unable to drive for three years after a stroke in 2021.
“I can’t work now because of my stroke. I’m lucky to get the invalidity payments, but the cost of everything is just going up,” he said. He described often sitting at home, unable to go out because of his limited income.
The disability coalition, consisting of the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA), Disability Federation of Ireland, and Access for All, called on the Government to deliver immediate emergency winter payments for people with disabilities.
Their analysis showed Budget 2026 left this community €1,400 worse off compared to last year, mainly due to the removal of once-off payments.
Heating versus eating is not just a catchy slogan but represents people’s lived realities, they said.
“The government has ignored the urgency of introducing a permanent payment to meet the extra cost of living with a disability,” Joan Carthy from the IWA said.
The protesters were supported by opposition TDs and Tipperary teenager Cara Dermody. She is sleeping outside the Dáil for 50 hours — despite Storm Bran — to highlight delays in getting assessment of need for children with disabilities.
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