Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Cairns for bringing forward this motion and acknowledge those in the Visitors Gallery who have travelled here today to stand once again for their basic rights. In particular I acknowledge my friend, Emilie Conway, from the Disabled Artists & Disabled Academics Group and her colleague, Jackie Conboy, who for the second week have come to the Dáil to demand basic service provision and respect. One in seven people in this country has a disability. That is 13.5% of our overall population. All of us will have a family member or friend with a disability. It is a very normal part of the human condition. It can be challenging at times, for sure, but disability can and should be celebrated too. In that vein, July is one of those times and I take a moment to wish everyone in this community a happy Disability Pride Month.

Disability in all its forms and inflections should unite us in common solidarity, yet people with disabilities continue to battle shame, stigma, discrimination and equality that is forced on them by an uncaring State. The pace of change is far too slow as a result of systematic failure and successive Governments choosing not to prioritise people with disabilities and their families. We have a real way to go before people will be able to access and participate fully in all aspects of our society. A good start would be supporting and acting on our motion today, which calls for the urgent establishment of a universal cost of disability payment. This would constitute a step in the right direction, acknowledging what people with a disability have been telling us for many years, that they are living in crisis and need action now. Let us be very clear that a payment would only begin to acknowledge this extra cost of disability. It is not charity. It is not because we feel sorry for people with disabilities and their families. The extra costs simply would not exist if our world was more accessible.

We stand with people with disabilities and demand that all barriers be broken down. There is much work to do if we are to reimagine and redesign a more equal and inclusive society. A cost of disability payment would be a very strong start in that regard. Our vision and hope in bringing forward this motion today is that this payment would be expanded and improved significantly over time. The programme for Government acknowledges the extra costs that are an issue. The Department of Social Protection commissioned a comprehensive Cost of Disability in Ireland report, which was published last December. It provides a very detailed yet stark picture of the challenges and struggles of day-to-day life for people with a disability and their families. Disabled people are more likely to be living in poverty and to be unemployed. The extra cost of disability can range between €167 and €237 every week. This does not add up. It is not sustainable for any household. It is shameful that more is not being done urgently to address this gaping inequality. The people with disabilities community have spoken about this issue for years.

Members will have read the European Disability Forum report from 2020 that examined the extent of poverty and social exclusion among disabled people. It looked at European countries and it will come as no surprise that Ireland did not score very well at all but was fifth worst on the list. It found that almost 40% of people with a disability in Ireland are at risk of poverty and social exclusion. That is a massive number by any standard and indicates that disability becomes the basis of a person's poverty. The report also tells us that during austerity times our disability community suffered more than most. It was and remains incredibly difficult to access appropriate housing suitable to their needs. They lost jobs and educational opportunities, like so many others. They felt the brunt again when public services were slashed, healthcare and transport to name but a few. They experienced direct cuts to disability supports and payments and, while the economy recovered for many over the intervening years, people with disabilities remain in a crisis situation as the report states. That is why the Visitors Gallery is full today.

Already on the back foot, since 2020 the community has faced the chaos of a global pandemic, the war in Ukraine, inflationary pressures and a cost-of-living crisis that by any standard is raging out of control. All of these additional stresses have imposed unprecedented and impossible challenges on a community that has absolutely no more to give. The Minister of State must see that this issue needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. However, that does not appear to be the case. The Minister for Social Protection was asked in February of this year for an update on progressing action on the cost of disability report. The response was that the findings will inform the direction of future policy. The same wording is in the programme for Government. Like the programme for Government, there was no timeline given, no budget, commitments or promises, just the statement that a whole-of-government approach is required. We understand the words are there but not the actions to go with them. Given the seriousness of the report, the Minister's response at the time was insulting to those who are barely keeping their heads above water. People with disabilities are drowning. We know why they are drowning and they are going to be the ones who drown first but there does not seem to be any urgency. Why is no one listening to the lived experience of people with disabilities, their families, the disabled persons organisations, DPOs, the NGOs, the academics and other experts? The Minister of State should make no mistake that doing nothing is a policy choice and everyone can see it is the one that has been made.

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