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Press Release on Independent Living - The Dublin Experience Conference

November 20, 2009 at 12:28pm

Advance Event Notification: Independent Living – The Dublin Experience

People with Disabilities meeting to discuss independent living and human rights

Friday 27th November 2009 10am. – 4 pm
D4 Berkeley Hotel, Lansdowne Road Dublin 4

People with Disabilities living in Dublin city and county are meeting next week to discuss access to independent living. In the first conference on the issue in some years Greater Dublin Independent Living are highlighting both the effects of cuts to services and lack of understanding of rights based service provision on the lives of people with disabilities.

In the past 20 years people with significant physical and sensory disabilities have campaigned for and organised services to enable them to leave institutions and experience independent living. However in 2009 the acute lack of services including Personal Assistance services means that many are being placed in Nursing homes or remaining in acute hospital settings for many months following completion of treatment. 

Offers of housing from local authorities are jeopardised by the lack of personal assistance support packages. Other people report difficulties in accessing employment following completion of third level education due to the lack of appropriate supports which places them at a greater disadvantage in a very challenging labour market. Many others remain in the family home well into adulthood and have no access to education, employment or opportunity to meet friends, develop relationships and lives away from their parents.

Standards on the services which are delivered by public and private organisations funded by the HSE are not in place. The Irish Government have signed but are yet to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. Article 19 of the Convention commits states to respecting the rights of people with disabilities to live in the community.

Gordon Ryan, Chairperson of Greater Dublin Independent Living describes the event as being timely when the government and its agencies are discussing cuts to services while at the same time trying to meet international human rights commitments.

'People with disabilities rarely have the opportunity to meet to discuss the type of services they receive and wish to receive and next weeks conference will give them a chance to draw up a priority list of issues which must continue to be addressed by the government and the agencies they fund. The conference will also examine the role of independent living groups in providing peer support.'

Note to Editors/Journalists
In addition to spokespersons for the organisation several people with disabilities attending the conference are available for interview prior to the event. This includes people waiting to access personal assistance services, accommodation, employment and those who do have the services in place and are worried that they may lose them due to budget cuts. 

For further information contact Suzy Byrne on 086 8378757 or 01 8726843 or by email dlas@eircom.net

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