People with Disabilities in Ireland Ltd

People with Disabilities in Ireland Ltd
Press Release

Wednesday, 8th December 2010, People with Disabilities in Ireland (PWDI) the representative body of people with disabilities as end users, commenting on the Budget, states that it has in one fell swoop pushed people with disabilities further into the margins of Irish society.
These cuts in Social Welfare rates and services to people with disabilities represent a direct attack on their standard of living.
PWDI would point out that people with disabilities have already been hit in pre budget moves which has seen the imposition of prescription charges,

PWDI would ask the government to look at the term used in providing for these cuts, The Minister stated in his budget speech “In the case of working age rates of payment there will be a reduction of about 4 per cent. “and having looked at this they must realise that persons on long term disability payments, such as Invalidity Pension, are there due to the fact that they are unable to work and probably will not work in future – De facto pensioned out of the workforce and should not be considered as job-seekers or people of working age . Therefore PWDI sees it as a logical concession that persons on these long term disability payments be provided for in the same manner as pensioners i.e. persons of non working age.
No economic reasoning by the Government in including these payments and services to people with disabilities in Budget cuts can disguise the fact that it will cause a drastic reduction in the quality of life of many disabled persons in receipt of Social Welfare payments and those caring for them. Those family members in receipt of a Carers payment have given up work to provide care and attention for a family member and the cut in their payment demeans and fails to recognise the huge contribution they are making which would otherwise have to be met by the state services.
The cut in funding available to the HSE to provide services to people with disabilities will further impact on their standard of living and quality of life.
PWDI are concerned that the overall Budget cuts will diminish the hard fought gains achieved for people with disabilities under the Sectoral Plans and that its overall effect will be to send people with disabilities back to the margins of Irish society.
PWDI intends to adopt a very robust and proactive approach to ensuring the voice of people with disabilities is heard in protesting against these cuts.
Further Information contact:
Mr Morgan Mc Knight, CEO, 0879306814
Mr Malachy Foots, Board Member, PRO 0863220248
Mr James McClean, Acting Chairperson, 0863445075