John Dolan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Sunday Independentstated that a leaked report from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform emphasised a number of pressures on the State's income and expenditure. However, it made no mention of 600,000 people with disabilities and mental health needs, even though it is acknowledged that these people are in the throes of a long-term crisis. We have public service pay pressures and a deep housing crisis, which also affects people with disabilities. We have the health issues that have again been exposed here today and we have the Brexit challenges. The glaring fact is that we have an ongoing crisis for those 600,000 people and their families, a crisis long acknowledged by successive Governments.

The troika left town at the end of 2013 and the recession ended that year. People with disabilities are now in the fourth year following the recession, still feeling its worst effects with little or no hope that the situation will change. Last week the CSO confirmed that the modest recovery has not extended to people with disabilities for whom poverty rates are increasing while they are thankfully decreasing for the general population. Four years after the troika left Ireland, more than half of people living with disabilities are not able to afford four essential items: adequate heating; two pairs of strong shoes; a warm coat; and meat a few times a week. These are the facts of Ireland today.

The SILC figures released last week show that people with disabilities are at twice the risk of living in poverty at just under 35% as opposed to 19% for the general population. These are stark facts. Consistent poverty for people with disabilities has increased by 8%; the deprivation rate has increased by just under 2%; and the risk of poverty has increased by almost 10%. While the rate is thankfully falling for the general population, it is going the wrong way for too many people.This crisis is absolutely out of control. It is going the wrong way and it needs to be acknowledged and tackled.

I pressed the Taoiseach in September last year, just before the budget, to prioritise the welcome but modest funding that was then available in the budget for people with disabilities. That did not happen. There are real pressures in other areas, but this too is a real issue and if the Government is honest and honourable about its commitments to people with disabilities, the upcoming budget in October has to have a real, meaningful, cross-Government package for people with disabilities. Will the Leader ask the Taoiseach to come into this House and set out what he and his Government intend to do to make that a reality for the coming year?