Green Paper on Disability Reform to be scrapped by the government after activists’ concerns

/ General News / By BCIL

The announcement that Ireland’s Minister for Social Protection will not be implementing the Green Paper’s recommendations for disability payments has been warmly received by advocates for disabled people.

Minister Heather Humphreys stated: “Based on the feedback I have received to date, it is clear that there are significant concerns about the proposals,” as reported by the Irish Independent on Friday, April 12. I’ve heard these worries, and I can now say with certainty that the Green Paper’s recommendations won’t be put into practice.

“Our new Taoiseach Simon Harris has placed a major focus on improving supports for people with disabilities by giving a voice to special education at the Cabinet table in Minister Naughton and also with the establishment of a new special Cabinet Committee on Disability,” the Minister added.

Certain activists emphasised that the tiered system would not lead to increased employment opportunities and that discrimination prevented disabled individuals from acquiring employment.

The Scrap the Green Paper coalition was formed in October 2023 after several disability rights organisations united their collective efforts to fight the ableist proposal which was causing distress within the disability community.

For more information visit Gov.ie/DisabilityPaymentsReform.

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Stephen Hodnett - Occupational Therapist with the organisation and developing telehealth services for DCD with the University of Limerick. Dyspraxia Ireland. 28.06.23.-2
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Karen Smith of BCIL - discussing the ongoing issue of Changing Places. 22.06.2023.-2
Michael White - discussing his late wife Kay O’Shea who was a longstanding Disability Rights activist and the issue of access at Spike Island in Cork. 22.06.2023.-3
Shelly Gaynor - Peer Mentor of ILMI. Shelly directs a Personal Assistants Service through her own company shellyonwheels. Giving disabled people complete control over their own lives. 04.07.2023.-1
Wunmi Excel Ategie- social care practitioner and a humanitarian actor. She has over 20 years experience of working with the deprived and under-represented groups. 04.07.2023.-2
Laura - OPhilbin- Interim Research & Policy Manager at The Alzheimer Society of Ireland. Management and activities of the Research & Policy Team.Laura holds a PhD from the Dementia Services Development Centre at Bangor University in Wales in addition to a BA in Psychology from University College Dublin. 28. 07. 2023. https://www.carealliance.ie info@carealliance.ie Ph. 01 874 7776
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Emilie Conway - jazz singer, composer and lyricist. DADA: Disabled Artists & Disabled Academics Campaign for Human & Cultural Rights Emilie is a founding artist of a new movement, the DADA Campaign for Human and Cultural Rights. Emilie was prompted to become more vocal on the rights of people with disabilities from her own experiences, heightened by the relative absence of disabled peoples’ voice throughout the pandemic, compounded yet again, as the society opens up. DADA stands for Disabled Artists & Disabled Academics attesting to the coterie Emilie’s “speaking up” attracted to her over the past year. DADA’s mission is to achieve greater equity for disabled people by pointing out and challenging barriers to full participate and contribution to the arts, culture, economy and whole of society. DADA aims to achieve this through creation of art that builds public awareness, engaging with media, and building transformative relationships with Arts and Cultural Institutions and Government, see media, for more equitable policy and practice in line with UNCRPD. If you would like to get involved please email dadacampaign@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter: @DADACampaign https://www.emilieconway.ie
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