GROUPS REPRESENTING people with disabilities have criticised the Government's decision to increase long-stay health charges for people in public residential services by up to €33 a week.
Inclusion Ireland, an umbrella group for people with intellectual disabilities, said the hike means many vulnerable people will end up paying up to 75 per cent of their disability allowance on long-stay charges.
The charges, due to come into force from next January, will affect older people in nursing care as well as people with an intellectual disabilities in residential services and community homes.
Under the changes, which were introduced in the Budget, the cost of in-patient services in places where nursing care is provided 24 hours a day will cost €153.25 a week, an increase of €33.25.
People who are in places where nursing care is not provided on a 24-hour basis will now pay €114.95 a week, an increase of €24.95.
This allowance will be paid out of patients' disability allowance, which rose by €6.50 a week to €204.30 in the recent Budget.
Inclusion Ireland chief executive Deirdre Carroll said the charges were unfair.
"Leaving people with an intellectual disability with just €51.05 a week to spend after the charges are deducted from their disability allowance does not promote inclusion into society," she said.
"While the charges are supposed to be a maximum rate and should allow for an assessment, in the majority of cases, people's needs are not assessed and the maximum charge is enforced," Ms Carroll added.