With four in 10 people with disabilities at risk of poverty, this week's Budget must give priority to ensuring inclusion for those with disabilities, it was argued yesterday.
The Disability Federation of Ireland said Central Statistics Office figures showing such vulnerability to poverty were a "bleak prospect" for almost 10 per cent of the general population and 59 per cent of those over 85 years who have a long-standing illness or disability.
Speaking on International Day of Disabled People, federation chief executive John Dolan said "the fact that large numbers of disabled people continue to experience poverty and social exclusion is unacceptable".
The current programme for government commits the Coalition to delivering half of the National Disability Strategy by 2010. Mr Dolan said his organisation was insisting that this week's Budget show "at a minimum, a plan for 2008 setting out how resources will be delivered into the sector. Only then can we begin to achieve the long-awaited inclusion and equality for people with disabilities."
Meanwhile, Fine Gael's David Stanton said yesterday that, since the implementation on June 1st of part two of the Disability Act for children under five years, 822 children have applied for an assessment for State services but only eight have been carried out. The figures were provided in response to a parliamentary question.
"That only 1 per cent of children who applied for assessment have actually been seen is another damning indictment of the health system under a Fianna Fáil Government that seems increasingly out of touch with the needs of Irish people," he said.
"To say that this situation is not good enough is a massive, massive understatement."
Mr Stanton continued: "I have also discovered that the staff necessary for services to be provided once a child has been assessed are still not in place despite the Bill coming into force six months ago. Only 22 liaison officers have been appointed from a necessary 32, with the remaining positions not due to be filled until February next year.
"These officers are responsible for providing a service statement for the child, detailing which services are appropriate to them, and should have been in place from day one."
Separately, 13 public bodies received awards for achieving excellent accessibility at a ceremony in Dublin organised by the National Disability Authority.
