Disability issues affect all areas of public policy

Disability issues are not just confined to health services, medical cards or the social welfare system.  Disability issues impact on all of our public services and should be at the heart of public policy.

 In order to do this the first thing Government must do is ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.  13 per cent of the population in Ireland have a disability.  People with a disability have one of the highest risks of poverty and social exclusion.  People with a disability have a very low labour force participation rate and are excluded from many labour market activation programmes and training supports.  In the run up to the election Social Justice Ireland has produced a short briefing on disability outlining some key challenges and policy recommendations.  To read more on this issue please click here.