Disability Forum

by pc Sun Feb 13, 2005 18:02

Campaign on the National Disability Strategy goes on

Disability Bill Discussion in Limerick

by Shane O'Neill - Indy media journalist Wed Feb 09, 2005 02:48 shaneon at indigo dot ie 086-3188-199

RDS - FORUM ON DISABILTY BILL
If a country can be viewed on how it treats it's prisoners, and the weakest, then this country is at the very bottom run of a very tall ladder.


Take a prime example - The Disability Bill 2004.

Speaker after broken hearted speaker at the RDS spoke of their pain when it came to
seeking services for their disabled children and siblings

Some or still waiting, and if will wait, and wait, and wait.

The message that kept coming from the people that spoke was "We want a disability bill that gives rights to people - that is rights based".

K O'Neill said that she has four vulnerable children, all teenagers, one girl, three boys, 19 - 14. Laughter, music is ever present in her home.
Two of them are special needs, and the family becomes embroiled in some battle or other for services that should be there in the first place.
She pointed out that there were people who could not make it to the RDS last night because of the very special needs of their loved, they have become - prisoners in their own home.

It could be because of people who have behaviourial difficulties, and are in pchyatric hospitals because there are simply not the services for home or residential help.
She went on to say that the documents published on the 21st of September 2004, does not give people with disabilitys their basic rights where education, respite, needs are concerned.
Her son is 16, has down syndrome, and is terrified of what will happen to him after the age of 18.

It was pointed out that the bill when it spoke of need was confined soley to health and education and there was no mention of housing - lots of beaurocracy, but not an ounce of improvment in service.

FAMILIES MUST BE GIVEN PIECE OF MIND

An opt out clause in the bill allows for buildings not be amended to faciliate wheelchairs if it's cost would be too expensive for local authorites.

Another speaker from the top table the president of the human rights comission said the HRC is an indepent body and it has sought to uphold the rights of all - and having regard to international law, it finds the bill to be sound in all its all sections.

SEAMUS GREENE is the founder member of rignts make the difference and has an intellectual disabled daughter. He is the founder of the National Parents and Siblings Alliance.
He said the then "we'll see you right" mentally was floating around the disablity community, because they believed the government would see tthem right.
In Scandavian countrys looking after the disabled goes without saying, but not here.
The current services are in desperate need of refurbishement.
Either they don't know what the needs are, or they don't care .
What is clear, is that people with needs and their families won't get a fair deal in this countryuntil everyone sits down with no agendas, and actually try to sort out the problems.
The DLCG (Disability Legislation Consultation Group ) was set up by the gov. to advise on appropriate legislation.
It is waiting since October for a reply to its amendment proposals.
Needs could be satisfied after a reasonable time, there is not commitment on this.


And so to the motion:
The motion reads as follows:
This meeting, representive of people with disabilits throught Ireland, resolves that the Disability Bill 2004 is seriously inadequate and defective. As it stands, the Bill will do nothihg to improve the lives of people with disabilitys or their families. it wil not meet the widspread demand for basici right and it will force people with disabilitys into a bureauctraic nightmare in the search fro essential services.

This meeting further resolves that at a minumum, the Bill must be amended ro include a clear, unequivocal right to an independendt assessment of need for every person with a disabity.
That assesment must be translated in law into a statement of entitlment to services, together with and agreed plan to secure access to those services within a reasonable time frame if the setrcies are not immediately avaible.
The Bill must also provide for a genuine appeals and complaints procedure that is indepenent inevery way, st tha tpersons with a disabilty have the right of redress in any situation where essential services are being unfairly denied to then.
Finally, the Bill must provide for meaningful progress and targts in relation to issues of employment and access to builidngs and services.
This meeting finally resolves that we will continue to campaign vigorously, and lobby our publijc represntatives, until this reasonable position is met.



The meeting was then thrown open to the floor for people to have their say, and again some people spoke of their frustaration at the lack of services and needs not being cared about.
The motion was carried, and it was also announced the 'Rights Make the difference' campaign was also lauching an election campaign targeting the by-elections due somtime this year.

It was overall a very angry meeting - and with very good reaons.

If you wish more information on the issues raised in the article or the Disability Bill or disability issues, please e-mail me for some organisations that may help you.

Thanks for reading this, it is a very imprortant issue.
Shane O'Neill

by Shane O'Neill Tue Feb 08, 2005 02:24 shaneon at indigo dot ie 086-3188-199

Don't forget to support the down trodden.........................Here in Ireland.
Click the valueable link to find out how you can help those who the government of Ireland have chosen to ignore.........the disabled.
They should hang their head in shame.

It is clear that no family member of the government, their immediate or extended families have someone that has an intellectual or physical disability.

It was only when the drug scurge entered the middle classes with the murder of Veronica Guerin that serious measures were taken.

The Proceeds of Criime Act was rushed through in one day.

We now have CAB (Criminal Assets Bureau), and what a great thing it is, but it just goes to show how, when THEY are in danger, action is taken

The danger I speak of is loss of a dail seat.


The widows did it with their rightful pensions, we must reverse this backward bill.

To quote Peter Finch from the movie NETWORK......................GO TO THE WINDOWS AND SHOUT OUT "I'M MAD AS HELL, AND NOT GOIN TO TAKE IT ANYMORE"

........................................................................................................................................are you?
Do you REALLY care about people in Ireland having basic human right denied to them.
Burma is a good cause, Zimbabwe too, but do you care?

If you do, be at the RDS.

I alone am a whisper
We together are a roar.

by pc Tue Feb 08, 2005 00:45

http://www.namhi.ie/legislation/RightsMakeTheDifferenceCampaign.htm

by Shane O'Neill Mon Feb 07, 2005 23:52 shaneon at indigo dot ie 086-3188-199

I need more people to be there, will you please put the word out, I will be the one with the cam corder, look for me.......ok?

by Con Carroll - class-war Mon Feb 07, 2005 13:56 3 at hotmail dot com Dublin 086-8812277

The meeting was advertised to start at 7.30 R.D.S
As usual these meeting are high jacked by very miidle class people who make sure that the anger is silenced. So they can have a respectable face in pandering to this right wing obnoxious shit in the Dail.

People whom have been excluded and alienated becaust they are peole with disabilities have every right to be angry.
How many of you with disabilities have expierenced those looks which say you as a person are a bit of an embarrasment to have around.
Or the attitude you are intelligent and articulate as one would think that it is only people with
no physical disabiliy who are
To be political active as a person with a disability is a threath to others
Get politically active and get angry empowerment