A large crowd of campaigners have taken to the streets of Ennis this lunchtime calling for a permanent end to the inequality facing the disabled community.
Organised by The Clare Leader Forum, the group is urging the government to tear up the Green Paper on Disability Reform.
Published in late September, the government’s Green Paper on Disability Reform is aiming to restructure the rates of pay administered to those living with a disability in Ireland.
The proposal would implement a three tier system, whereby those on tier one who are deemed to have the highest support needs and would receive the state pension rate of €265.30 per week.
Those on tier two and tier three meanwhile would receive €242 and the current standard rate of disability allowance of €220 per week respectively.
However the chairperson of the Clare Leader Forum doesn’t agree with government’s bi-annual interview approach to determining entitlements.
Padraic Hayes from Shannon who is living with Cerebral Palsy and is a full-time wheelchair user says it’s an invasion of privacy.
An Ennis family carer meanwhile believes the green paper is completely failing to acknowledge the additional costs facing disabled people.
Emma Mulqueen who provides full time care for her son Faodhán for his rare neurological condition says tiers are for cakes not people.
A Newmarket resident claims the proposed payments structure will create a divide within the disabled community.
Martin Tobin who is living with Epilepsy says some people have a greater possibility of working than others and not everyone can be painted with the same brush.
You can listen to the full report below.
