Young people with disabilities to be 'further excluded from society'

DISABILITY CUTS:BUDGET CUTS to supports for young people with disabilities have been heavily criticised by groups working in the area.

Under the changes announced by Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton on Monday, new claimants of disability allowance aged under 25 will have their payment reduced from €188 per week to €100 for people aged 18 to 21 and to €144 per week for people aged 22 to 24.

Down Syndrome Ireland said it deplored the changes being made to the disability allowance and domiciliary care allowance.

The attempt to bring uniformity across age groups for those receiving social welfare neglected to take account of the reality that young people with Down syndrome were excluded from activation programmes, it said.

“These changes will ultimately lead to people with Down syndrome being further excluded from society and will reverse all the gains made in the past decade,” said Down Syndrome Ireland chief executive Pat Clarke.

Inclusion Ireland said comparing disability allowance to jobseeker’s allowance showed the Government’s lack of understanding of the needs of people with disabilities.

The organisation said a young person receiving disability allowance would be down €4,576 a year because of the changes announced on Monday as part of Budget 2012.

“This is a crude cut that does not acknowledge the additional cost of disability, nor does it allow for an assessment of the specific needs of an individual with a disability,” said Inclusion Ireland chief executive Deirdre Carroll.

John Dolan, chief executive of the Disability Federation of Ireland, said efficiency savings affecting services in the area would have a direct impact on people with disabilities.

“We are very concerned about the true extent of these cuts, just how far above 2 per cent they could reach and to what extent they will impact on services. We are seeking immediate clarification from the Department of Health.”