Conway calls for personal disability budgets

INDIVIDUAL budgets should be provided to people with disabilities in Clare to help them live in dignity, according to Senator Martin Conway.

Addressing the annual general meeting of People with Disabilities in Ireland (PWDI) in Galway recently, Senator Conway, who is visually impaired, gave a very clear picture of what living with a disability entails in overcoming many societal barriers.
Drawing from his own life experiences, the Ennistymon-based senator proposed that resources being put into disability should be done on the basis of individual or personal budgets.
“This could be facilitated with an independent assessment being done to identify the needs of the people receiving the services.  The money required would then be made available to the person to purchase the service from a provider of their choice.
“Were a system like this to be introduced over a period of time, it would empower the end user and ensure that more money would be channelled to the person who needs it most,” he said.
He pointed out there are over 600 organisations in Ireland receiving almost €1.2 billion in Government funding in support of people with disabilities. In total, 220 of these are service providers and the balance is involved in advocacy.
He hoped the value for money audit would examine the vast numbers of organisations and identify how amalgamations and efficiencies could be achieved and in doing so, protect frontline services.
Organisation CEO Morgan McKnight, in his address, pointed out the key priorities for Government in relation to the disability sector should be to allow all people with disabilities live with as much comfort and dignity as possible.
“In many cases this will require additional resources and in some cases, it will require more efficient use of and monitoring of existing resources. I recognise in these tough economic times there needs to be a more co-ordinated approach to spending in the area of disability to ensure the taxpayer gets value for money and that those with disabilities are given the opportunity to achieve the quality of life they deserve.
“Budgetary measures should not reject the Government’s accepted disability priority, nor burden those in society least able to bear it,” he said.