ASSOCIATION URGES GOVERNMENT ACTION ON FUNDING CRISIS IN DISABILITY SECTOR AT KEY HUSTINGS EVENT
“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.”
As the General Election campaign gains momentum, the National Disability Services Association (NDSA) hosted a critical hustings event in Limerick on Tuesday 19th November.
This event will gather election candidates to outline their parties’ commitments to people with disabilities and the organisations that serve them, providing a platform for NDSA’s seven member organisations and their stakeholders to engage candidates on the issues that matter most.
In attendance will be service owners, family members, staff, and members of Cheshire Ireland, Chime, Central Remedial Clinic, Enable Ireland, Irish Wheelchair Association, Rehab, and Vision Ireland. This diverse group will present the urgent issues facing people with disabilities and the organisations delivering essential services on behalf of the State. With polling day approaching, this event will offer voters, especially those impacted by disability, an opportunity to evaluate each party’s priorities and commitments to disability rights and sector reform in the next Programme for Government.
The NDSA is advocating for a government commitment to meaningful reform, with a call for prioritisation of disability rights and funding equity within the next Programme for Government.
The NDSA is also demanding that the next Programme for Government address the long-standing issue of funding, pay and reform of the Disability Sector to enable Section 39 organisations to be adequately and sustainably funded to ensure continuity of their vital service delivery to people with disabilities on behalf of the State and the HSE. We are seeking a commitment to equality and pay parity for service providers consistent with those of staff in stated delivered services
Each of the NDSA organisations highlighted in their Pre-Budget Submissions the mismatch between Government policy and the level of funding available for implementation and achieving the targets set out in Government Strategies. We are looking for a commitment that the forthcoming National Disability Strategy and Action Plan for Disability Services will be fully resourced and that a proper oversight mechanism will be put in place.
Finally, we remain concerned about the high number of our members and service users who are unable to find employment and call for an urgent targeted employment strategy to address the persistently low employment rate for people with disabilities in Ireland, which at 32% remains the lowest in the EU, significantly lagging the EU average of 51%.
The National Disability Services Association (NDSA) represents a network of seven of the largest national providers of disability services in the community across Ireland. Our member organisations include Central Remedial Clinic, Cheshire Ireland, Chime, Enable Ireland, Irish Wheelchair Association, Rehab Group, and Vision Ireland. We work across the widest range of community and social care services – Children’s Disability Network Teams, education, training, personal assistance, community day care, employment, residential, respite and rehabilitation, and work with and for people across all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
Across our member organisations, over 8,000 dedicated staff provide key clinical and social services to over 40,000 individuals and their families every year.
