“We are not lunatics” said longtime disability rights campaigner Helen Rochford Brennan who in 2012 was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. “We have a funding crisis ,” said Cathy McGrath project manager with the Disability Federation of Ireland which represents over 120 voluntary service providers. The shortage of personal assistance hours, accessible accommodation and transport, and even more basic facilities were outlined at the hustings. As a result parents find themselves “changing family members on the floors of public toilets”. Deputy MacSharry promised that his party would provide an additional 1.5m personal assistance hours and increase disability payments by €10.

Source: The Irish Times January 30, 2020 17:19 UTC