This article is from page 14 of the 2013-03-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
DISABLED groups in Clare looks set to come out fighting against government plans to remove the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant.
The cut, which is set to come into place in four months, looks likely to bring disable people out in the street protesting in ways that have not before been seen.
According to Ennis man Dermot Hayes, now that disabled people have had a taste of independence, they are not willing to give it up.
“The money involved in this is very small. It is a direct payment to the individuals that aids that person to get out and about and live an independent life. We have been working to tear down the walls of disabilities institutions for decades and it has been a long time coming. Now that we have received a level of independence we are not prepared to give that away,” he said.
“It can be very disillusioning [being trapped at home]. You start to wonder ‘is this what life is all about’. Having a small grant which ensures that you can get out every once and awhile is huge for a disabled person. It is the whole world.”
According to East Clare man and the former National Vice President of the Centre for Independent Living, Tom King, disabled people are ready for this fight.
“There is an appetite on the ground to fight this. People with disabilities are feeling the recession as much as everyone else. We don’t have the money in our pockets to cover this and we are ready to fight for this,” he said.
“They [the HSE] are talking about putting some of the money into organised transport. That is going to make an institution of transport, and we will be back to a situation where everyone who has a disability is on one bus together travelling together at time that doesn’t suit. It takes away the possibility of employment and a social life but the main thing that it takes way is independence. This is going to leave disable people isolated, in their homes, alone.”
The Disabled People of Clare (DPOC) organisation has asked for the Department of Health to shelve plans to cut the scheme until a better solution can be worked out.
“Any confidence that individuals and the families of those with a disability had in the department of health, nationally, is being undermined as a direct result of a number of recent issues,” said Margaret Kinnane of DPOC.
“We ask that the Government leave in place the current Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grants, until they have entered into talks with disability organisations, representing the individual with a disability, such as the DPOC,” she said.