General Election Priorities
As a member of the NDSA (National Disability Services Association), Enable Ireland supports 5 key priorities in the upcoming general election.
The National Disability Services Association represents the network of some of the largest national providers of disability services in the community across Ireland.
The association provide quality and innovative services to ensure equal access and equal opportunity for people with disabilities.
The NDSA has five priorities. Continue to make disability services a political priority. #PrioritiseDisability
1. Equality of service for children, adults and parents. Provide funding for full pay restoration for Section 39 organisations and return to pay parity with HSE pay scales
2. Provide multi-annual funding for disability organisations delivering vital services on behalf of the HSE and the State
3. Initiate reform of the disability sector with meaningful consultation with stakeholders to enable Section 39 organisations to be adequately and sustainably funded to ensure continuity of vital disability service provision.
4. Invest the money to fully resource the Action Plan for Disability Service
5. Address Ireland's appalling record of high unemployment of disabled people.
“As we approach the upcoming election, it is crucial to place the needs of people with disabilities to the fore of the political agenda. Central to any commitments from political parties and candidates must be the right of people with disabilities to live the life of their choosing, independently without impediment. The cost of disability must be addressed by the next Government in a meaningful way, as financial barriers often hinder the ability of disabled individuals to access necessary resources and services.
From an NDSA perspective, it is vital that funding shortfalls that jeopardise essential services are addressed. The issue of pay parity for Section 39 organisations is severely hampering many NDSA members in the delivery of existing services, their capacity to meet emerging and unmet needs and their ability to recruit and retain staff. Ultimately, this has a negative impact on the quality of life of many people using our services
Essential services provided on behalf of the state by Section 39 organisations must be funded on an equivalent basis to those provided directly by the HSE or Section 38 organisations. NDSA calls on all Parties and Candidates to commit to ensuring equitable support for all disability services.”
With 1 in 5 people in Ireland living with a disability, it’s time to address the urgent needs in communities across the country. Enable Ireland is a proud member organization of the Disability Federation of Ireland. Encourage candidates to take the Disability Pledge
