CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - cover_Layout 1 09/07/2014 15:09 Page 1
Center for Independent Living
CeNter for INdePeNdeNt LIvINg
Carmichael House, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7.
Phone: 01 873 0455 • Fax: 01 873 0998
Email: [email protected] • Web: www.dublincil.org
“Nothing About Us Without Us”
Pre-bUdget sUbmIssIoN 2015
“Nothing About Us Without Us”
CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - inside pages_Layout 1 08/07/2014 16:07 Page 1
“nothing About us Without us”
Center for Independent Living
pre-budget submIssIon 2015
Center for Independent Living
Carmichael House, north brunswick street, dublin 7.
www.dublincil.org
CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - inside pages_Layout 1 08/07/2014 16:07 Page 2
2
Center for Independent Living
Contents
exeCutIve summAry
IntroduCtIon
Who We Are
Guiding Principles
Social Inclusion
Introduction
3
4
4
4
5
5
1. personAL AssIstAnCe
7
2. trAnsport
8
3. InCome equALIty
9
4. WAter CHArges
10
ConCLusIon
11
CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - inside pages_Layout 1 08/07/2014 16:07 Page 3
Pre-Budget Submission 2015
3
exeCutIve summAry
Providing supports for people with disabilities to live the lives of our
choosing in the community is not only central to the National Disability
Strategy but is also economically sound. Without supports many of us are
either forced to live in isolation or in institutions. Pennywise but pound
foolish cuts to supports such as Personal Assistance Services, home
support, respite, mobility allowance and so on make no sense.
Cuts over the past twelve months have impacted on frontline health
services. Some members of CIL have been unable to get replacement
pressure cushions for their wheelchairs resulting in sores that in turn have
necessitated lengthy hospital stays at a far greater cost to the State.
Individualised home support plans have been rejected and people directed
to community hospitals or nursing homes instead even though this often
costs more.
This Pre-Budget Submission is an outline of the recommendations that
should be taken on board by Government to minimise the effect of
budgetary cuts on the lives of people with disabilities. It is of vital
importance that decisions taken now do not have long term negative
impacts that may in fact cost more in the long run to reverse.
michael mcCabe
Chairman
CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - inside pages_Layout 1 08/07/2014 16:07 Page 4
4
IntroduCtIon
Center for Independent Living
Who We Are
The Center for Independent Living (CIL) is a grassroots organisation run by
people with disabilities for people with disabilities, with the main aim of
empowering and enabling all people with disabilities to achieve
Independent Living.
The structure of CIL is a practice result of the consolidation of people with
disabilities who joined together around the aim of ensuring that people
with disabilities had the opportunity of achieving Independent Living (IL)
within the community. CIL places the needs of people with disabilities at
the heart of all of its activities and provides a range of services to support
and develop Independent Living at local, regional and national level.
Ultimately CIL strives toward all people with disabilities being seamlessly
integrated into mainstream society removing the need for active
campaigning for services and instead focusing on the benefits
Independent Living provides to all members of our society.
guiding principles
CIL operates under the Independent Living philosophy, which is based on
four main assumptions; that each life is valuable; that regardless of a
person’s disability they have the ability to choose; that people have the
right to practice control over their own lives regardless of the oppressive
attitude and practice of society; and finally, that each person with a
disability has the right to fully participate in society.
Independent Living does not imply a desire to lead life in self-sufficient
isolation. It means that a person with a disability is afforded the same right
to choice and self-determination that all other individuals take for granted.
These choices often require that a person with a disability be supported,
either by assistive technology, environmental adaptation or by the physical
help of another individual. It is the element of choice and the fact that it is
CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - inside pages_Layout 1 08/07/2014 16:07 Page 5
Pre-Budget Submission 2015
5
the person with a disability who chooses and directs his or her own
services that underpins the Independent Living approach to disability that
CIL adheres to.
social Inclusion
This document is structured to take into account the varying elements in
our civil society that contribute to increased levels of social inclusion for
people with disabilities. There are many elements that contribute to social
inclusion that we control. By recognising that we are in control of the
elements and levels of social inclusion, we can also recognise that we as a
society are in control of the levels of social inclusion.
This document has been written in consultation with both the CIL Network and
Leaders, through the Leader fora and is a representation of the recommendations
that have emerged from consultation.
Social inclusion is a key element of Independent Living, and is an essential
indicator as to how a society is progressing towards one that values and
appreciates all individuals in society equally. This document has been
written in consultation with individual leaders across the country through
the Leader Forums. All of the recommendations outlined in this PreBudget Submission are representative of the recommendations that have
emerged from consultation and CIL believes that they will act to increase
social inclusion for all people with disabilities.
Introduction
CIL has developed this document in consultation with the network of
people with disabilties nationwide that participate in CIL Leader Forums.
The Leader Forum is an independent space for people with disabilities to
come together to discuss common experiences, challenges, policy issues
and quality of services at local, regional and national level across Ireland.
Developed by CIL the Leader Forum is a space for people with disabilities
to offer each other peer support and mentoring independent of any oneservice provider.
CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - inside pages_Layout 1 08/07/2014 16:07 Page 6
6
Center for Independent Living
Upon reflection Leader Forum members felt that many of the issues raised
by CIL through its 2014 Pre-Budget Submission have not been adequately
addressed by government. Therefore as we approach 2015 they reiterate
their call for action on:
• Personal Assistance Services
• Transport
• Income Inequality
They also call for immediate action to be taken on the implementation of
water charges.
CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - inside pages_Layout 1 08/07/2014 16:07 Page 7
Pre-Budget Submission 2015
1. personAL AssIstAnCe
7
Personal Assistance Services (PAS) are at the heart of Independent Living
and were introduced to Ireland by CIL as a pilot project in the 1990’s. PAS
ensures that people with disabilities can have the opportunity to live
independently, and supports the capacity of people with disabilities to
come together around important policy issues, which are critical to true
Independent Living, from areas of housing, transport, and education to
employment and environmental access.
PAS are essential to the creation of social inclusion, and to a society that is
both diverse and accessible. Whilst CIL realises that budget savings have
to be made, we do not accept, and will not accept any further cuts to the
PAS. Not only does PAS represent a huge saving to the Government when
compared with the cost of long term residential care, it also creates space
and the right for people with disabilities to live independent lives.
Without PAS many people would be forced to move into residential care
which would increase the cost of services by €209,000 on average per
annum. CIL calls on the government to introduce our recommendations on
PAS, and to bear in mind the social impact of budgetary decisions when
planning budgets.
The following are our recommendations for the future development and
funding of PAS in Ireland:
• Put PAS on a legislative footing ensuring future service
provision within the guiding principles of Independent Living.
• Ringfence the funding of PAS within the wider HSE budget.
• Increase the PAS budget to allow more people with disabilities
to avail of a PAS, and subsequently live independently in the
community.
• Deal with the waiting list for PAS – this is currently on par with
the number of people actually in receipt of PAS.
• Raise awareness of PAS and simplify the application process to
ensure that PAS becomes a realistic option for people with
disabilities.
• No more cuts to exisiting PAS.
CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - inside pages_Layout 1 08/07/2014 16:07 Page 8
8
2. trAnsport
Center for Independent Living
Transport has long been recognised as an essential element of social
inclusion. Lack of adequate transport services act as a barrier to
participation in society for people with disabilities, and directly impact on
an individual’s quality of life.
The recent removal of the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport
Grant have caused much distress to people with disabilities who depend on
these services to maintain an active and valued economic and social life. It
is vital that in the future planning of services, the impact of transport on
the lives of people with disabilities is understood and taken into account to
plan for wide ranging and all-encompassing transport services.
CIL also recognises that many people with disabilities may not qualify for
the mobility allowance, as the criteria are strict in relation to the range of
mobility. CIL is concerned that there may be people who have mobility
issues that are not covered by these criteria.
The following are our recommendations for the future development and
funding of transport for people with disabilies in Ireland:
• Raise the means test for qualification for the transport grants
and fully reinstate the Transport Adaptation Grant and
Mobility Allowance.
• The Mobility Allowance must be based on partial mobility in
addition to a full lack of mobility, and individuals with visual
impairments must also be eligible to apply.
• Put existing grants and services on a legislative footing and
maintain individualised payments.
• VRT – should be extended to larger engine sizes. Larger cars are
required for transport of motorised wheelchairs and equipment
and this should be taken into account. People with visual
impairments must also be included as eligible for car ownership
schemes as passengers and drivers.
• Reinstate fully the Rural Transport scheme as this is the only
lifeline many people with disabilities have in rural settings.
CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - inside pages_Layout 1 08/07/2014 16:07 Page 9
Pre-Budget Submission 2015
3. InCome InequALIty
People with disabilities in Ireland are more likely to be unemployed, near
or below the poverty line and /or have a lower disposable income than
people without a disability. The road to reducing and removing income
inequality starts with removing the barriers to social and economic
inclusion in the areas of employment and education.
9
It is extremely important that people with disabilities are conceptualised
as part of an active economic sector of society that have the potential to
contribute to a well-functioning and diverse labour force. Structural barriers
to participation must be removed to increase labour force participation of
people with disabilities. This is a double sided proposal, which involves
increasing labour force activation measures in addition to removing the
potential poverty trap for an individual living on a fixed income.
The following are our recommendations for addressing the serious levels
of income inequality experienced by people with disabilities:
• Introduce a cost of disability payment.
• Reverse cuts to the Disability Pension to give recipients a
moderate living standard.
• Remove the means test for the medical card and make it a
universal service for all people with disabilities.
• We recommend that the comprehensive employment strategy
for people with disabilities as outlined by the NDA, should be
implemented in full.
• The criteria for carers allowance must be broadened to also
include PRSI contributions, in order to recognise the valuable
and essential support provided by family members who may
have had to leave employment to support a person with a
disability.
• The Disability Allowance must be maintained at current levels,
and the criteria for the domiciliary care allowance should be
broadened if it is to replace disability allowance for 16-18 year
olds. It is essential that where cases come under review
payments should not be suspended for the period of review.
• No further cuts to Fuel Allowance, and to reverse all previous
cuts.
CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - inside pages_Layout 1 08/07/2014 16:07 Page 10
10
4. WAter CHArges
Center for Independent Living
The implementation of water charges will have an extremely negative
impact on people with disabilities. The imposition of further charges or
costs will further isolate many people with disabilities from their family,
friends and community.
While we accept that a charge may be necessary to ensure the provision
of clean fresh water there must be equity in the implementation of any
charges and distribution of associated allowances. The medical conditions
that qualify for capped water usage need to be revisited and addressed.
There are numerous conditions that people with disabilities suffer from
that are not officially recognised. These may be extremely life debilitating
and require a person to take numerous showers or bath several times
throughout the day. As this will obviously be contributing to high water
usage they need to be recognised to qualify for high water usage and
capped charges. The current list of medical conditions that are classified as
long-term illnesses is not adequate in this regard.
The following are our recommendations for addressing the concerns
people with disabilities have in relation to water charges:
• people with disabilities who genuinely need to use more water
due to a medical condition should not be penalised.
• If a person with a disability has the ability to work and is
contributing to our economy they should not be penalised
because they do not qualify for the household benefits
package.
• people with disabilities who are in a position to work should
not be penalised with higher water charges.
• A set water charge should be implemented for all people with
disabilities.
CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - inside pages_Layout 1 08/07/2014 16:07 Page 11
Pre-Budget Submission 2015
ConCLusIon
11
Social inclusion stands as a marker to a well-functioning society, and every
effort should be made by the Government to increase the social inclusion
of people with disabilities by implementing the recommendations outlined
in this Pre-Budget Submission. Future decisions made by government that
impact on people with disabilities should not increase barriers to social
inclusion, but should only act to remove them. This report contains
recommendations to government that are not only economically rational,
but that are socially rational also.
Personal Assistance Services provide an economically sustainable
alternative to long-term institutional care. When taken in conjunction with
effective labour market activation projects, removal of poverty traps and
increased accessible transport the benefits of social inclusion will be seen
in an increase in participation in the political, social, economic and cultural
areas of community and society. It will also have a positive impact on
employment, VAT through increased spending power, and benefits to the
local economy.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Pre-Budget Submission and
who made it a representative document.
CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - inside pages_Layout 1 08/07/2014 16:07 Page 12
12
Center for Independent Living
CIL Pre-Budget Submission 2015 - cover_Layout 1 09/07/2014 15:09 Page 1
Center for Independent Living
CeNter for INdePeNdeNt LIvINg
Carmichael House, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7.
Phone: 01 873 0455 • Fax: 01 873 0998
Email: [email protected] • Web: www.dublincil.org
“Nothing About Us Without Us”
Pre-bUdget sUbmIssIoN 2015
“Nothing About Us Without Us”