World News from Ireland

"A society where everyone, regardless of background or disability, feels welcome, included and supported"

People with intellectual disabilities must be enabled to exercise their to vote, the Inclusion Ireland organisation has said.

(By Kitty Holand 18.02.11) Chief executive Deirdre Carroll said there were reports after every election of people being turned away from polling stations by presiding officers who deemed them not to have the capacity to vote.

"Every person aged 18 has the right to vote and that includes people with intellectual disabilities. We have been seeking guidelines for presiding officers but they haven't been forthcoming."

Inclusion Ireland has been running training workshops for people with intellectual disabilities on voting and "they are always booked up within a few hours of being announced". About 200 people have attended workshops in the lead up to this election.

Ms Carroll was speaking at an election briefing at which the parties' manifestos were 'scored' on how they pledged to meet the demands of people with intellectual disabilities, and their families.

The major demands of the organisation are that enforceable standards be introduced for disability services and that these be inspected by HIQA; that 'capacity' legislation be introduced to support people with decision-making; and that there be no further cuts to services or welfare payments for people with intellectual disabilities.

Ms Carroll said all parties were "vague" on the issues. "Overall, Fianna Fáil barely mentions standards and inspections while Fine Gael says it will ensure they are introduced but gives no time-frame. Labour makes no reference to the issue and the Greens give no time-frame.

"Fianna Fáil makes no mention of welfare rates while Fine Gael says they'll maintain payments to carers," she said.

"On capacity legislation Fianna Fáil don't mention it, Fine Gael do and Labour are wishy washy on it. We seem to be getting a lot of the right phrases without solid commitments. Fine Gael and Labour do best overall but still don't score very highly."

The parties seemed to have lost sight of the fact there was a "social economy as well as a market economy. We talk about toxic banks but we also have toxic social, services," said Ms Carroll. "We have to start investing in services that actually produce good outcomes instead of the waste and short-term thinking that perpetuates the waste."

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/

Disability activist to picket abuse play

(By Paul Cullen, 12.04.10) Author and disability rights campaigner Paddy Doyle has said he will picket the opening of a play this week about the Ryan report on child abuse because the venue is inaccessible to wheelchair users.

Mr Doyle has described as intolerable and abhorrent the decision to stage the series of plays about child abuse in the Peacock Theatre, which is in the basement of the Abbey theatre building and has no disabled persons’ access.

He says board members of the Abbey should explain how they can stand over the use of a venue that “clearly discriminates” against people who use wheelchairs.

“We are now in the year 2010. There are numerous ‘gadgets and gizmos’ that can be employed to ensure people with disabilities gain access to various buildings which are hundreds of years older than the Abbey.”

Mr Doyle says he is horrified that he may not be able to gain access to see the performances of his friends, journalist Mary Raftery and writer Mannix Flynn.

In a letter to Mr Doyle, Abbey director Fiach Mac Conghail expressed shame at the lack of disabled access. The issue was alienating people and was one of the reasons a new building was needed for the national theatre, he said.

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/

National Disability Authority calls on Government to urgently move to protect people with disabilities

(02.02.10) “Children and adults with disabilities in residential care are amongst the most vulnerable members of our society,” commented Siobhan Barron, Director of the National Disability Authority (NDA). “People with disabilities in residential care typically spend most of their adult lives in such care. The quality of services and facilities is therefore a crucial factor in their safety and in the quality of their lives. The NDA welcomes the commitment by the Minister to bring into force independent inspections of residential services for children with disabilities this year. It is also critical that an inspection process is implemented within adult services.”

The NDA believes that the standards for residential services for people with disabilities published by HIQA need to be put on a statutory footing to ensure a robust framework for regulation and inspection of services. These standards are important to ensuring:

• best quality of care providing best outcomes for individuals in services;
• safeguarding against risk of abuse and harm; and
• clarity for services providers abut what are acceptable standards and what is expected of them.

“The NDA would also emphasise that service providers should adopt and implement these standards now thereby improving the protection and quality of care for people with disabilities in residential settings” she added.

Notes for Journalist:

The NDA has actively pursued the introduction of standards in services for people with disabilities since it was established in 2000. Having conducted extensive consultation and developed comprehensive draft national disability standards over the period 2002 - 2004 in collaboration with the Dept. of Health and Children, draft standards were presented to the Minister for Health in 2004. These standards were based on best national and international practice and were underpinned by the principles of person-centredness, accountability, dignity and respect. The standards were referred to HIQA on its establishment and have been considered as part of the process for developing the standards for residential services which were launched on 11 May 2009. The NDA was an active member of the HIQA advisory committee which guided those standards.

NDA is the lead state agency on disability issues and universal design, providing independent expert advice to the Government on policy and practice.

Source: http://www.irishpressreleases.ie/