LOCAL disability groups are cautiously welcoming Minister James Reilly’s decision to instruct the HSE to continue to provide people with personal-assistant services in accordance with their needs.

Last week, Clare Government TDs came under fire from local disability groups over approved cuts in personal-assistant hours before the late climbdown by Health Minister James Reilly.

Speaking on Tuesday, prior to the announcement, local disability campaigner, Tom King, said he felt “betrayed” and “let down” by Labour Deputy Michael McNamara and Fine Gael Deputy Joe Carey after Minister Reilly announced a €10 million cut in the funding for personal assistants as part of a €130m cutback in health expenditure.

The vice-chairman of the Centre for Independent Living (CIL) and Disabled People of Clare board member made the charge in relation to  a pledge given by three Clare TDs at a disability briefing about five months ago.

Mr King said, at the end of the meeting, he asked Deputy McNamara, Deputy Carey and Deputy Dooley to leave politics aside and unite to fight for the retention of services for people with disabilities, which he insisted they undertook to achieve. Deputy Pat Breen was not in attendance.

His claim was rejected by Deputy McNamara, who claimed he was the only Clare Government deputy who took a strong stand, opposing the personal-assistant cuts as unacceptable.

In addition to requesting a meeting with Minister Reilly, Deputy McNamara said he had also voiced his concern to Labour leader, Eamon Gilmore.

Asked if he considered resigning, like Ennis Labour Councillor, Paul O’Shea, Deputy McNamara said politics is all about negotiating change and he felt he is in a stronger position to achieve this inside the party.

“I find Tom King’s comments somewhat disappointing. Deputies did say we would fight for the retention of disability services. However, I did this in the local and national media on Monday and Tuesday.”

He reiterated his confidence in Minister Reilly and noted he has made progress with a number of health reforms, including starting negotiations concerning consultants’ pay and bringing forward legislation for the prescribing of generic drugs.

Deputy Carey said he has worked with Mr King and the CIL for a long number of years and has advocated, on Mr King’s behalf, for people with disabilities by making various submissions to Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Government ministers.

Following the HSE budget overrun, however, Deputy Carey stressed up to €130m has to be saved to avoid the HSE running out of cash by December.

“I have stated the most vulnerable should be protected in relation to personal-assistant hours. However, savings of €10m will still have to be found within the disability budget,” he said.

Deputy Pat Breen said, “I have people with disabilities calling into my office every day of the week, who have issues and problems, which they need help with. I have always worked with them and for them and I will continue to do so at local and national level.”

In an interview with The Clare Champion early on Tuesday, Mr King urged Clare deputies to advocate on behalf of Clare people with disabilities and, if necessary, vote against the cuts in the Dáil.

Describing the personal-assistant cut as “unacceptable and a retrograde step”, Mr King explained these assistants helped people with disabilities to perform basic personal tasks for daily living.
He pointed out it costs about €23 an hour to pay for the cover of  providing a personal assistant, compared to the economic cost of an estimated €800 to keep a patient in a nursing home or long-stay residential care.

With regard to homecare packages and home help hours, the minister has clarified that, as is currently the practice, the HSE will assess each case according to their individual needs.

Speaking outside the Dáil during a national disability protest on Wednesday, Mr King stated the CIL had asked Minister Reilly to confirm further cutbacks in personal assistants would not be made in the Budget or during the lifetime of this Government.

 

Living with the constant fear of cuts

CLARE people with disabilities are living in fear of their local postman delivering a Government letter outlining cuts in their personal assistant hours, a disability activist has warned.

Ann Marie Flanagan, who stood for the Green Party in the Ennistymon Electoral Area at the last local elections, has requested the Health Minister to ring-fence funding for personal assistants, as a basic human right for people with disabilities.

The regional Mental Health Development Officer for Shine recalled she received a letter on July 26, 2011, five days after having a Caesarean section informing her the hours of her personal assistant would be cut.

After having her son, Robert, she was shocked to learn the vital support she relied on for independent living would be reduced at a time she needed help.

Following an appeal, Ann Marie (39) was granted a reprieve but stressed the constant threat of cuts is a worrying burden for people with disabilities.

She has Arthrogryposis, which significantly restricts the movement in her legs and arms, and has limited mobility, requiring assistance for some of the most basis tasks.

Following the cuts announced by Health Minister James Reilly on Friday, before his climbdown late on Tuesday night, she expressed grave concern about the fact that she felt the need to publicly protest about what should be regarded as an entitlement.

She stressed she doesn’t want to be forced to highlight very private matters about her needs for independent living in 10 years’ time when her son, Robert, is 11.

Contrary to public perception, she said people with disabilities, who have the support of personal assistants, use them to go out to work so they can pay tax and their mortgages. With the help of personal assistants, she stressed people with disabilities want to play an active part and make their own individual contribution to society.

“I have worked and paid my taxes for 21 years. I paid for my third-level education, not from a grant. I contribute to my community and used my own money to run for election twice to try to make society a fairer, better, more humanitarian place to live.

“Now I am a mother of a little boy who needs his mammy to be able to care and provide for him, as is his right.

“Twenty years ago, a small group of us worked tirelessly to bring a personal assistant service to people with disabilities in Clare. We never stopped. We did not accept no for an answer. We knocked on every door and spoke to every person who we would listen to us. We talked to people with disabilities and families who never before thought of independent living. Lives changed, society was changing and dignity was being restored.

“After all those years, there are many people with PAs in Clare. Most people do not have enough hours but are doing their best to make a life for themselves,” she said.

She urged Clare people to lobby their local councillors and Dáil deputies to ring-fence funding for personal assistant hours.