Disability Bill - Time for President to intervene

THERE is now a compelling case for President Mary McAleese to refer the Government’s skewed Disability Bill to the Supreme Court so that the constitutionality of this highly unpopular piece of legislation can be submitted to the acid test.

There are strongly-held views that in its present shape it will result in a new and dangerous form of discrimination on economic grounds being written into the Constitution, effectively denying the rights of children to be treated equally.

That undoubtedly is the implication of the Coalition’s bid to ensure the entitlements of people with intellectual or physical disabilities will in future be based exclusively on the availability of resources rather than on rights-based legislation for access to services.