Govt ‘forgetting’ people with disabilities charity head warns

The Government has “forgotten” people with disabilities, the head of a Christian charity has warned, after a report laid bare the lack of progress on “substantive issues” for disability inclusion.

People with disabilities continue to be treated as “secondary” in Ireland, according to the CEO of a charity dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities.

There has been a “lack of movement” on disability rights since Ireland ratified the UN’s convention on rights of persons with disabilities in 2018, Dualta Roughneen of Christian Blind Mission told The Irish Catholic.

“It is as if the Government has forgotten to continue work on disability inclusion in Ireland” since signing up, he added.

“No progress is made on substantive areas such as the right to life, accessibility and mobility,” Mr Roughneen said, responding to a report from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters.

Rights for people with disabilities have regressed in areas of significant importance, including health and independent living, the committee’s report shows.

It is “imperative” that the Government take on the committee’s recommendations as it updates its National Disability Strategy, said Mr Roughneen, calling its findings “stark”.

The committee’s report highlights that living well for people with disabilities is “not getting the attention or investment it requires”, he warned.

While some good progress is noted, “it appears the Government lost interest along the way”, Mr Roughneen said, with signs of regression in key areas.

“Regression on independence means greater dependency. Dependence means power imbalance and is the opposite of progress towards equality,” he added.

Mr Roughneen criticised the Government for having no appetite to recognise the impact of abortion on people with disabilities, and raised concerns about proposals to legalise euthanasia.

“The Government should prioritise living well rather than dying well in their legislative and policy efforts,” he said.

“The report from the Joint Committee indicates that living well for people with disabilities is not getting the attention or investment it requires.”

He also called on Ireland to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Irish aid to take more action on disabilities in its overseas aid.

“It is not just in Ireland that disability is overlooked,” said Mr Roughneen. “The SDGs give little more than a passing reference to disability rights even though people with disabilities make up one-sixth of the world’s population and this needs to change if disability matters are to be given sufficient importance in the coming years.”

To date, there is no dedicated strategy/policy on disability inclusion, nor any earmarked financial commitments on disability through Ireland’s overseas aid budget, he added, saying, “This needs to change”.

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