The government’s “Programme for Action” reinforces a patronising care model rather than adopting a rights-based framework for disabled and older people, a group critical of the new government’s proposed disability plan has said.
Spokesperson for the group, Equality not Care, Dr Margaret Kennedy said it was clear to them that the Government is “deliberately not using a human rights perspective or an equality perspective, in order to deny us those rights”.
In a statement, the group said that “categorising disabled people under the ‘Caring Society’ in the programme for Government perpetuates dependency stereotypes, stripping individuals of independence, autonomy, and agency” –
“Promises like personal assistance, personal budgets, and accessible transport lack statutory guarantees, measurable targets, or accountability mechanisms, making them discretionary rather than rights-based,” they added.
“Safeguarding mechanisms for disabled and older people remain inadequate, with the government merely promising to “explore” solutions instead of taking definitive action—despite repeated failures, such as abuse cases in nursing homes.”
“In the 2024 referendum, the government used the term “strive” to signal intentions without guaranteeing rights. This same vague language—“consider,” “explore,” and “work towards”—is now pervasive in their disability plan, reflecting aspirations rather than enforceable commitments. They just don’t get it,” the campaigners added.
And they said that “fragmented support systems force disabled people over 65 into elder care, where they often lose essential services and face diminished autonomy. Age-based services should be replaced with a rights-based framework that addresses the lifelong needs of disabled people and upholds their independence.”
The group urged the incoming government to “rethink the ‘disability’ section in the Programme for action”, saying that the “proposed national disability strategy lacks clarity, timelines, and details about implementation or representation, relying on future consultations that delay action”.
They said that “the Model of ‘caring’, just as a model of childhood, convey to society messages that those who have impairments or illnesses or are older, automatically need ‘caring for’.”
“This is a deliberate attempt by the government to not give independence to disabled people or older people. Not to locate power within these groups. This is a control mechanism also, just as the disability community and the elderly community are becoming more powerful. Demanding their rights,” they said.
“This is precisely what the ‘Equality not Care’ protest group during the last referendum was fighting for. The government tried to portray and enshrine within the Constitution, that families would ‘look after,’ ‘care for’ disabled and older people. In doing this, the government would be relieved of any duty to support Disabled or older people.”.
“Luckily, the country saw what they were trying to do,” the campaign group added in a reference to the landslide No vote in the referendum.
They said that people with disabilities would “continue to languish under a patronising, ableist and ageist Government regime.”
The group said that the new strategy seems “to us to be more committee work, as documents of policy and procedure have to be written before implemented, which will take an enormous amount of time given the way the Irish government works” – and said this would divert funds from provision.
“We contend all disabled people from cradle to grave should be under one department. Under a specific designated Minister for disabled people. As it stands all over 65 disabled people have to move to the Elderly Care Department whether they wish to or not. This has huge implications for Mental health and activity and provision of services,” they said.
“We know from personal experience, that once you reach 65, you lose a great deal of benefits under the disability remit and become lost in a perspective of ‘looking after/being cared for’ under elder care remit,” the activists claimed.
“Disabled adults are four times more likely to be abused than non-disabled people. There have been a great many cases of adults being abused in residential care, hospitals and in care situations in their own homes,” they added.
“Safeguarding legislation for ‘vulnerable’ people is minimal and totally ineffective. There needs to be specialised training in safeguarding work with disabled people and older people. What to look out for, how to spot abuse. and how to act upon any allegations of abuse or harm of disabled or older persons.”
The case of Emily, an older woman in a nursing home, is a shocking indictment of HSE failures in adult safeguarding (2023)
A HSE safeguarding review found that up to 21 residents may have been impacted by physical and sexual abuse at a HSE-run nursing home in Kildare where a male care assistant raped an elderly women.
The separate Safeguarding review found that nine other residents in the Nursing Home had alleged reportable incidents of sexual assault against sex offender Adeniji but none had been followed up.
Michael O’Dowd of Equality not Care, who stood for Aontú in the November national election, said that the government’s disability plan reflects “intentions rather than legal guarantees”.
“Disabled people’s repeated calls for ‘cost of living payments’ have been refused time and time again. This continues to cause much hardship and poverty for disabled people. Promises like increased personal assistance hours, personal budgets and expanded support for education and employment remain discretionary, not rights based,” he said.