Inclusion Ireland Review of Political Party Manifestos
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Inclusion Ireland Review of Political Party Manifestos
General Election 2016
Introduction
Fine Gael have been the largest party in co-alition Government since 2011. Fine Gael hold the
key portfolios of Health (Dr James Reilly & Dr Leo Varadker), Jobs (Richard Bruton) and Justice
(Frances Fitzgerald.
2011 Manifesto Commitments
Support Special Olympics Ireland in furthering opportunities for people with learning disabilities
Retain disability and blind payments at the current rate
Update the mental capacity legislation as quickly as possible to allow for the ratification of the
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Implementation plan for the National Disability Strategy, including the Disability Act, EPSEN Act
and sectoral plans
Enhance the recognition of Irish Sign Language
Page | 1 Independently inspections by the Health Information and Quality Authority
Support universal design
A Care Services Authority (CSA) for the acquisition and provision of “care services” for the
elderly, disabled, children, etc
By the end of our first term in Government, Fine Gael will give people with disabilities the option
of “Personal Care Budgets” so that they can choose the services that meet their individual
needs.
Publish a plan for the implementation of the EPSEN Act 2004
Performance between 2011-2016
As Fine Gael was a coalition partner in government their performance will be judged on the
performance of the government as a whole.
The Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act has been signed into law.
A very welcome development saw HIQA begin to inspect residential services for persons with a
disability. HIQA reports, coupled with RTE Primetime have laid bare some dreadful services and
institutional practices being funded public monies over many governments.
A system of supporting children with a disability to attend the ECCE year has been introduced
(commencement September 2016).
Additional resource teachers and SNA’s have been recruited. A new system of resource
allocation is being piloted.
The EPSEN Act has not been implemented.
Page | 2The Disability Act remains only partially commenced. Compliance with the Act is at 39%.
Therapy services were exposed as being in disarray and under resourced. 3000 children were
waiting longer than 12 months for speech therapy. Government has responded by recruiting
275 therapy staff across 3 budgets.
Disability service providers have seen their budgets reduced resulting in virtually no new
residential places, no transport to post school places, reduced or cut respite.
The National Advocacy Service for people with a disability was introduced. This service does not
have statutory powers.
Weekly welfare rates were maintained. The respite care grant was cut but later restored. There
has also been a small cut to the house hold support package for carers.
Inclusion Ireland ask Fine Gael Commitment
Advocacy Supports Establishment of an independent patient advocacy
service
Therapy Supports Significantly increasing investment in primary and
community care, which will include additional
doctors, nurses, and therapists, keeping care in the
community
Access to Early Childhood Education Work with stakeholders on the further
development the ECCE scheme for children with
disabilities
Inclusive Education Supports Continue to increase SNA & RT numbers
Consult with stakeholders to see how best to
progress sections of the EPSEN Act that were
introduced on a non statutory basis
Reduce the pupil-teacher ratio for junior and
Page | 3senior infants to 18:1
Life-long Education & Training None
Introduce Direct Payments The introduction of personalised budgets within 12
months.
Introduce a system of support brokers to assist
clients with their budgets to work out the best way
to meet their social care needs, should they so
wish
Recognising the Cost of Disability A new mobility scheme to assist those with a
disability in meeting their increased mobility costs
Assisted Decision-Making Supports Fully implement arrangements in the Assisted
Decision-Making Act, including advanced
healthcare directives and the establishment of a
Decision Support Service to replace the Wards of
Court Office and manage capacity matters.
Disability Hate Crime None
Respite Care We will ensure there is greater involvement of
family carers in the preparation of care plans and
provision of care, together with more accessible
training and respite to facilitate full support
Plan and Ringfenced budget for closure of Reduce the 2,725 people who live in congregated
institutions settings by at least one-third by 2021.
Ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights Remain committed to ratification
of Persons with Disabilities
Protection and Provision of Personal Assistance None
A senior Minister to deliver the employment None
Page | 4strategy for persons with a disability
Commentary
The Fine Gael manifesto hits most of the targets in Inclusion Ireland’s ‘Manifesto for
Community Inclusion’ at least partially.
There is no provision for hate crime, unlike a lot of other political parties and this is a big miss.
There is no specific commitment to cost of disability but the mobility scheme will go some way
towards addressing a cost associated with disability. The commitment to increase welfare
payments by €20 within 5 years is not as large as that promised by other parties and is not a
cost of disability payment.
The commitment to introduce personalised budgets within 12 months is very welcome, but in
the context of having not delivered this from the 2011 manifesto this must be cautiously
welcomes. There is also no target set here and it is unclear how many people will move to a
personalised budget.
Significant investment in primary and community care is welcome.
There is a concrete target to move over 900 people from congregated settings by the year
2021. Fine Gael are the only party to put a figure on this. However, even with this commitment,
1,800 people will remain in congregated settings and is an acknowledgement of the failure of
the State to meet the targets identified in ‘Time to Move on From Congregated Settings’. The
target of completing the move to community was due to take place within seven years, the 7 years will
pass in 2018.
Other Disability-Related Commitments
Page | 5Disability Inclusion Strategy for government departments and state bodies, including local authorities
and the HSE
Extend entitlement to a medical card to all children in receipt of the Domiciliary Care Allowance
Increase the Housing Adaptation scheme by a further 20% to €66m by 2021
Increase the Illness Benefit, Invalidity Pension, Disability Benefit and Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and
Allowance, and Blind Person’s by €4 per year
A Disability Inclusion Strategy will ensure that people with disabilities are treated as equal citizens,
provided with independence to live how they choose and enabled to reach their full potential
Expanding the role of Intreo offices to support people with disabilities, and allow them to transition into
employment, by ensuring a seamless return of their entitlements should a particular employment
opportunity prove unsuitable.
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