FF puts disability services at the heart of its policy proposals

Published on: 27 January 2020


Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Disability and TD for Cork South West Margaret Murphy O’Mahony says her party will introduce significant number of measures to help people with disabilities if elected to government.

The party’s manifesto pledges a range of supports to help people with disabilities and their families in recognition of the costs associated with a disability and the invaluable work of carers across the country.

Deputy Murphy O’Mahony said, “Fianna Fáil is committed to creating a more inclusive society and to removing the barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in society. WE were the first party in government to bring forward policies and legislation to advance the rights of people with disabilities and we want to go further.

“Over the next five years we propose to introduce a €10 disability top up payment in recognition of the unique costs that people with disabilities face. It will be paid to those in receipt of Carers Allowance; Carers Benefit; Disability Allowance; Illness Benefit; Blind Pension & Invalidity Pension.

“We are all too aware of the unacceptably long waiting times for essential therapies and services. Waiting lists for children with speech and language needs, physical and occupational therapy and services for people who have had a stroke or who are living with life challenging conditions have spiralled out of control under Fine Gael. We want to change that and will recruit an additional 800 therapy staff and we’ll expand early intervention teams in schools within these resources.

“Ireland finally marked the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with a disability in 2018. This was an essential step towards achieving our goal of ending discrimination and achieving equality for all our citizens. It now needs real political leadership to achieve it.
“In order to make progress on our ambitions it is vital that disability inclusion be at the heart of government. Fianna Fáil pledges that the Disability Minister in the next government will be based in the Department of the Taoiseach.

“These proposals are part of a suite of measures which will ensure that disability inclusion will be the business of every government department and state agency to create a more inclusive society”.

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