Disabled artists ‘punished for success’, Oireachtas committee told

Disabled artists are “punished for their success” because any pay they receive from their work is means-tested, and Oireachtas Committee has heard.

Isolde Ó Brolcháin Carmody, co-founding member of Disabled Artists and Disabled Academics (Dada), said that many disabled artists cannot take paid work because they are fearful of losing vital supports.

Ms Ó Brolcháin Carmody is an artist who is visually impaired and uses a wheelchair.

“If I get a grant for the arts council, or I get a commission, it is counted as means and taken directly off the top of my blind pension,” she told the Committee on Disability Matters.

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“If an organisation employs me for a particular project, the maximum I can earn is €140 per week. After that it comes directly off the top of my blind pension.”

Ms Ó Brolcháin Carmody added that any time her income changes, she is required to let the Department of Social Protection know. “An artist’s income changes all the time... this triggers a review. They are intrusive, extensive and stressful.”

Ms Ó Brolcháin Carmody adds that disability allowance and the blind pension do not match the full rate of PUP, and they don’t account for the added cost of being disabled.

Emilie Conway, founder and creator of Dada, said that as soon as disabled people start to earn an income, they are in danger of losing vital supports such as fuel allowance, medical cards and free travel. “The paradox is when we help ourselves, we lose our supports.”

Ms Conway is a jazz singer and has albinism and a visual impairment.

“Our non disabled peers can take up extra teaching work, funded campaigns, whatever they like... we can’t do this as its assessed as means and supports are lost.”

Louise Loughlin, National Manager for the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities, said that there needs to be greater access to home supports and personal assistance services.

“There is no statutory provision for either home supports or PA services. Access depends on geography,” she told the committee.

Ms Loughlin said that congregated settings, group homes, nursing homes and mental health facilities can be a “severe barrier” to accessing community and cultural life.

“We have noticed a trend in a slowing down in the closure of congregated settings. We have also noted that the issues associated with these settings have been compounded by Covid restrictions,” she said.

“Visiting restrictions meant that people living in services had prolonged periods without access to their communities or face-to-face contact with friends or family. People have told us that they had feelings of isolation, loneliness, and anxiety.”

Ms Loughlin also claimed that in some cases, family members tried to prevent their disabled relative from receiving a Covid-19 vaccine.

“Our work ensured the person received their vaccine. This meant that they could become more involved in community life as public health restrictions were lifted.”

Other disabled people who used the service said that their family members and carers controlled how they spent their money.

“We have experience of cases where people still cannot access their own bank account, are not consulted on how their estates are managed, residential services seeking information about why a person is accessing their funds, and not having sufficient funds left for social activities after paying for nursing home charges,” said Ms Loughlin.