15th November 2012

People with Disabilities to show Government Red Card at Protest next Wednesday

There are 600,000 people with disabilities, accounting for 13% of the population, but people with disabilities continue to be ignored, isolated and bear an unfair brunt of economic cutbacks.

But on 21^st November people with disabilities and their families will say NO MORE and will give Government a RED CARD at a national protest in Dublin.

What: National Disability Rights Protest

When: Wednesday 21^st November, 2pm

Where: Central Bank, Dublin 2, with a march to Leinster House

The march, which is being coordinated by the Disability Rights Coalition*, will call on Government to fulfil disability related promises made in the 2011 Programme for Government and will call for equal rights for people with disabilities.

People with disabilities and their families from all over Ireland will be attending this protest.

Among the promises in the 2011 Programme Government were:

• Maintain social welfare rates;
• Introduce independent inspection of disability services;
• Introduce modern decision making law to replace the 1871 Lunacy Act;
• Give people with disabilities greater control over the services they receive;

These promises, and more, were made by the present Government when we were fully aware of the extent of our economic problems. There can be no excuses why these promises are not being kept.

People with disabilities and those who support their rights, will give Government a RED CARD on the 21^st November for not keeping their promises.

*The Disability Rights Coalition (DRC) is made up of a number of organisations, but the DRC is only facilitating this protest and there will be no organisations banners at the  march – this march is about individuals with disabilities and their families coming together to support each other in demanding greater equality.

Go to www.disabilityrightscoalition.com  for more information.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

National:

• Siobhán Kane/Paddy Connolly, Inclusion Ireland, 01-8559891
• Suzy Byrne, Disability Activist, 086-3848405
• Lorraine Dempsey, Special Needs Parents Association, 087-7741917
• Pat Clarke, Down Syndrome Ireland, 087-2634900

Regional:

• Dublin – Suzy Byrne – 086-3848405

• Northeast – Pat Clarke (Louth) – 087-2634900
• Northwest – Máirín McCartney (Donegal) – 087-2452160
• West – Eamon Walsh (Galway) – 087 0931020
• West – Angela Locke Reilly (Mayo) – 0906-486939/085-1194041
• Midwest – Kathryn O’Shea (Clare) – 087 6291490
• South – Colm O’Sullivan (Cork) – 087-7790509
• Southeast – Lorraine Dempsey (Wicklow) – 087-7741917
• Midlands – Edel Shaw (Laois) – 087 2339572