McDowell snub shows hypocrisy

THE breathtaking hypocrisy of a Government that likes to see itself as a champion of the cause of the Special Olympics was underlined yesterday when Justice Minister Michael McDowell snubbed a Dáil probe into why the Coalition is blocking a crucial UN treaty on the rights of disabled people.

Coupled with its stalling of domestic legislation to improve the plight of people with disabilities, the minister’s non-appearance speaks volumes about an administration widely perceived by disabled people as one that persistently denies them their rights.

The committee on human rights learned of his snub hours before meeting. Instead of attending, Mr McDowell was unveiling initiatives aimed at combating alcohol abuse.

While curbing excessive drinking is extremely important, criticism of the minister’s no-show is fully warranted because his representatives could not explain why the Government is blocking the UN measure.

Ireland is the only EU state opposed to the draft treaty and the Government stands accused of collusion between the Departments of Justice and the Department of Finance in a bid to avoid the financial implications for this country.

To its shame, the Coalition has also cut allowances for carers desperately in need of respite from the exhausting task of supporting their loved ones.

This is another telling insight into the Scrooge-like attitude of the PD-Fianna Fáil administration as it wields the axe on services designed to improve the lot of people on the margins of society.

The failure to adequately fund day care for young people with disabilities is further proof this Government is more concerned with economic expediency than the plight of under-privileged members of society.

As Fine Gael rightly points out, the Coalition’s mean-spirited attitude is reflected in its use of funds to contest court cases taken by distraught parents seeking basic services for their disabled children.

This money would be better spent improving the respite allowance for people providing day care.

It is bitterly ironic that families providing a vital service that should be provided by the State are being targeted as a result of Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy’s cutbacks.

Regrettably, the denial of legally enforceable rights for people with disabilities looks set to continue as the proposed Disability Bill is put back.

Having pledged to bring in the Bill in the current Dáil session, it is now likely to be stalled for months.

The Government’s last Disability Bill was withdrawn amid a barrage of criticism, particularly over the non-enforceability of rights, the inadequacy of its implementation and the unacceptable time-lag in delivering many of its provisions.

There is a compelling case to fast-track the proposed legislation and also to appoint a minister for disabilities with powers to remove the barriers that deny people with disabilities positive rights to accessible services.

The tragedy is disabled people are paying the price for the Coalition’s cynical vote-buying spree in the last election.

With cutbacks biting into public services across the board, they rank among the most vulnerable victims of a betrayal manifested in a rash of broken promises.

There is no disguising the regime’s callous disregard for some of the most vulnerable people in society.

It would be shameful if the UN proposal collapsed because of Ireland’s miserly approach to a caring and compassionate treaty aimed at copper-fastening the rights of disabled people.