Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after ''throughout Ireland; and'' and substitute the following:''--condemns the savage cuts to supports for people with disabilities by the Government, including cuts to the mobility allowance, the motorised transport grant, the respite care grant, the household benefits package, special needs assistants and the medical card; and
--calls on Fine Gael and the Labour Party to keep their programme for Government commitment to enhance quality of life for people with disabilities by reversing these unfair cuts in budget 2014''.

Like other Senators, I welcome Mr. Peter O'Brien, Mr. Jim Kelly, James Jr. and Cillian to the Visitors Gallery for the debate. Mention has been made that this is the tenth anniversary of the Special Olympics being held in Ireland. I remember that, in 2003, as part of my junior certificate English class, we were asked to write essays on the experiences of the Special Olympics. With the memories other Senators have shared, it is one of the outstanding memories for me because we did research and found out what Special Olympics was, which was an eye-opening experience for me.

Special Olympics is a life-changing movement of people helping people, which is important. I commend all of the work done by the volunteers, athletes, coaches, families and communities linked with Special Olympics. A previous speaker asked what made it so special. Highlighting some of its founding principles may be the most appropriate way to shed some light on how the movement has thrived and caught the attention and support of millions of people across the world. Its goals are twofold, first, to bring intellectual disabilities out of the darkness and into the light of public acceptance and understanding, and, second, to give all persons with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to become active and productive citizens in their communities.

While researching the motion, I examined the spirit of Special Olympics which incorporates universal values that transcend all boundaries of geography, nationality, political persuasion, gender, age, race or religion. As many Senators said, we all know the role sport plays in formulating and strengthening friendships, tackling issues such as social exclusion and offering opportunities to people to develop life skills and self-knowledge. Lack of friendships and social interaction experienced by young people and adults with an intellectual disability often contributes to depression. Nearly one fifth of Irish adults with an intellectual disability have been diagnosed with depression, which is considerably higher than the 5% figure among the general population.

Special Olympics Ireland has stepped into the breach and, since starting 35 years ago, it has transformed many lives. However, as mentioned, Government funding for the organisation has been cut during the years. As Senator Mary Moran said, the organisation is doing so much with so little and we should support it to do all it can. When we couple these cuts with the difficulties many groups are facing in terms of funding, this conflicts with the last line of the Government's motion. We tabled the amendment to highlight this discrepancy, rather than to take in any way from the fantastic work being done by Special Olympics Ireland.

The programme for Government includes a clear commitment to enhance quality of life for people with disabilities, a commitment I very much support. However, there has been a series of decisions which have undermined quality of life for people with disabilities. For example, in budget 2013 the cut to the respite care grant not only hit the 77,000 carers who relied on it to provide some respite for themselves but it also had a direct impact on those for whom they cared, whether they were elderly persons or people with physical or intellectual disabilities.

It reduced quality of life for many people.

I refer to the mobility allowance and to the motorised transport scheme which was closed to new entrants. There has been much uncertainty regarding a new statutory scheme that was supposed to be set up but has not yet come about. The scheme was extended to October but there is no certainty as to how it may continue beyond that date. The Minister of State stated that a new scheme will be introduced but there is a lot of concern, anxiety and uncertainty for people who use the scheme because of the lack of guarantee beyond October.

The changes to the household benefit package have left many older people and older people with disabilities more isolated. In addition, changes to medical card eligibilty criteria introduced earlier this year have caused particular difficulties for people with disabilities. There has been an ongoing saga about the effect of cuts to special needs assistants and the impact this is having on families with special needs children.

When I read the first part of the Labour Party Private Members' motion, I was very supportive of the sentiment behind it. However, when we considered the reality and how the cuts affect people with disabilities, we had to table this amendment. The words of the Independent councillor from Arklow, Miriam Murphy, a disability rights lobbyist and activist, came to mind. She has a physical disability and has used a wheelchair all her life. In thejournal.iein April, she wrote:

On 26 February, the cuts to the mobility allowance and the disabled drivers transport grants were announced. I was enjoying a nice cuppa at the fire and was half-listening to the Nine O'Clock News. I knew I had heard "Disabled hit again". My husband came into the room and said I should listen. I can honestly say it was like someone had hit me in the stomach. I was shocked, mad and a little unsure about the broadcaster was actually telling us. We both just looked at each other. I cried, as I felt I could not take any more.

We commend the work of Special Olympics Ireland and encourage its work. As Senator Moran remarked, anything we and the Government can do should be done, but we cannot allow the cuts to the disability sector go unnoticed in this motion. We do not want to commend the Government when these underlying cuts exist and we can see the real-life effects they are having on people. When we vote on the Private Members' motion today we ask people to remember the impact these policies are having on the quality of life of people with disabilities.