A Clare TD has expressed concern at the lack of independent living for many disabled people in Ireland.
Today marks the European Independent Living Day which is an opportunity to express solidarity and celebrate all of the efforts of those who have championed the right to Independent Living and who have fought, and continue to fight, for the overall equality of Disabled People in society.
Sinn Féin TD Violet-Anne Wynne, who sits on the Disability Matters Oireachtas Committee, has reiterated her concerns in relation to the number of people aged under 65 who are residing in nursing homes and residential care across the country due to lack of proper community supports.
In the wake of findings of a new report published by Ombudsman Peter Tyndall that has shown that 1,300 people under 65 are currently living in congregated settings in this country, Deputy Wynne has argued that this figure does not reflect a progressive Ireland.
“A 2018 report published by the Disability Federation of Ireland stated that there were 1,313 under 65s living in nursing homes. That same year, 2018, Ireland finally ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), after 12 years of feet dragging. The fact that we have made virtually no progress, over the last 3 years, in integrating Disabled People back into community settings as per Article 19 of the Convention is unacceptable. We finally have the human rights framework in place, the Convention tells us what needs to be done, but what is lacking is the political will to do it. Nursing homes are a short-term solution to a long-term structural and cultural problem.
Funding continues to be disproportionately channelled into institutional care with approximately 95% of €2bn. budget spent on these services that are out of line with our international human rights obligations, while a meagre 5% is allocated to community supports such as Personal Assistance Services. Here is Clare we have an extremely active and vocal working group called the Clare Leader Forum who have been campaigning for changes in this area for years. I express wholehearted solidarity with them and all of the work that they do on this European-wide day of celebration of of Independent Living.”
Deputy Wynne calls for concrete action to be taken between stakeholders, including situational and needs assessments to be carried out with the under 65s affected, in order for them to be able to transition to Independent Living with dignity and respect.
