Letter to Kathleen Lynch TD - Minister with responsibility for disability

Posted 12/5/2015 5.36pm

Letter to Kathleen Lynch TD - Minister with responsibility for disability

Minister,

I am sad to say that I am very displeased with the level of support that disabled people receive from the state. I am a disabled man of 45 with valuable work experience who suffered a stroke ten years ago. Since then I have acquired some disabilities from a TBI. I'll spare you the details as they can appear extensive. Suffice it to say, I'm not marketable.

I am unable to qualify for an invalidity pension as I don't have the required number of social security credits (stamps), according to the current set of rules set out by the Department of Social Protection. However, I cannot move on with my life because any future spouse would have to be willing to 'look after' me financially. I cannot get a job that will allow me to build up the needed credits so effectively, I'm stuck. Either I can remain on disability allowance for the rest of my life or say to any potential spouse that am going to be dependent on them for everything, for ever. And this is not a spousal question. Spouses of both sexes can choose to work or not. I understand that as disabled people we can work, but as I said, there are very little supports and services available to disabled people and little understanding or compassion from employers either.

I am at a loss to understand how a welfare system that acknowledges that disabled people are less likely to be in employment than others of a working age AND that the cost of living for disabled people is generally higher AND that there seems to be 13% of the population living with a disability can call itself equal when there is so obviously a skew towards able-bodied people. 

I find it difficult to comprehend that a minister with responsibility for disability can let it come to pass that this obvious inequality is allowed to persist in a supposedly enlightened society. You are the voice that has been nominated to speak up on behalf of those without one. Why are we (disabled, but willing and wanting to work) being ignored? I can't pretend that my own situation is not the reason that I am contacting you, but having seen both sides of the fence as it were, I am disgusted by the treatment that disabled people are suffering and have been suffering by the state and by the population at large.

I can't say who you should talk to, but this situation will continue till someone makes a stand. But something has to change. Ireland led the way with the smoking ban in workplaces, why not disability?

The constitution states that I have:

The right to earn a livelihood

"As a citizen, you have a right to work and to earn a living, whether you are male or female.The State is under a duty to protect your right to work and earn a livelihood from unjust attack."

It's not happening.

Lars O'Reilly