Hello,
I’m a constituent in Cork South Central. I’m writing to my local TDs as well as members of the Oireachtas and party spokespeople who may have an interest in this issue.
It was reported in the Irish Examiner on Friday 4th July, by Joe Dermody, that
Ireland’s disability employment rate is 43%, eleven points behind the EU average of 53%. Given Ireland is one of the most developed economies in the EU that’s an appalling figure.
Of course disabilities are disabilities for a reason, whether trapped by a failing body or dealing with mental health struggles they are a hindrance. However, all anyone with a disability wants is some ability to live their life as free as possible of the binds placed on them by their health issues.
I’m on Disability Allowance, recently moved house, and have just started volunteering in an effort to build up my resilience and skills targeting a partial return to work. (As an employee or potentially in a self-employed role. Self employment while on Disability Allowance finally being something the Department of Social Protection has issued guidelines for.) The Intreo offices have been extremely helpful, and I spoke with a lovely woman named Deirdre in the Intreo office in Abbey Court in Cork City who encouraged me to volunteer precisely to build my resilience, as well as encouraging me to take it slowly.
I’m now spending a good few hours a week writing letters and cards, taking photos and printing photos for elderly people in nursing and care homes, hoping to keep potentially isolated people linked into the wider world. It’s good for me and it’s good for the recipients of the letters and art. However, it comes with a cost. I’ve spent money on stationery, art making supplies, photo printing, stamps to physically get the letters to the Volunteer Centre in Carlow and even postcards sent internationally, as a thank you, to the photographers who kindly let me use and print their photography to help our elders.
Thankfully I have some basic photography equipment already, although it’s mostly second hand and damaged, and some contact with a worldwide group of artists because of the internet.
I’m fully aware that to make progress in any situation demands investment, whether it’s in your health, your education or in this case a financial investment to allow an eventual return to part time work. I’m grateful the costs of this particular volunteer role are just about manageable.
I’ve also applied, bolstered by my volunteering with writing to people in care homes, to a local community garden about helping there. It’ll do me good to be out of the house, getting exercise and in the sun (and I’m certain there’ll be rain as well.)
However, the costs associated with this particular role, should I be accepted and if it’s possible to accommodate me, will be much higher. Being outdoors in Ireland it’ll most likely involve inclement weather. This will necessitate purchases of wet weather gear, not to mention the necessary safety gear, on site-supplies, contributions, the eventual gatherings and social activities with the other volunteers, etc.
There’s already a strain on people with disabilities given increased medical and living costs, despite supports such as the Medical Card and the Drugs Payment Scheme. In an effort to contribute to society, and regain my independence, this all will involve considerable expense and investment from me, financially, physically, mentally and emotionally, and most likely I’ll benefit from the support and help of my family, which includes offering an ear as well as the occasional dig out.
And to be clear, support from my family is something I am very, very lucky to have. I know it’s certainly not the case for everyone with a disability.
There are schemes like Tús, etc. but for people with disabilities they’re not always ideal. Health issues can crop up meaning the scheduled, mandated hours can become unworkable. The rigours of a 9 to 5 or 7 to 3 are not always manageable. Tús was designed for people in long term unemployment, not for people who wish to work but are held back by their disability.
More than this, what I imagine most people with disabilities want, and it’s certainly the case for me, is a greater level of independence and respect. Independence and unfortunately sometimes respect often denied to us by our disabilities. Volunteering, and support in being able to volunteer, allows people with disabilities to manage our own days, weeks and months. And hopefully eventually the ability to manage years of long and fruitful lives. It allows us to create the circumstances we know we need, and what we desire, to improve our living conditions and our health, both physical and mental, and in all the other ways. It allows us, in our own capacities, to build ourselves up.
With writing letters to elderly people in nursing homes I’m directing my skills and talents in a way I know I can and will contribute. People with disabilities are not stupid and are more than capable of giving back to society the support they’ve received along the way, if we’re allowed to do so and given the necessary means to do so.
Unfortunately the situation is that supports that allow people with disabilities regain our independence are not there, not without an often prohibitive cost to the person, or without constraints being placed on us by systems never designed for people who want to work and who are not afraid of engaging, but who have been denied the ability to do so by their illness and a society that sometimes isn’t willing to make the small adaptions or afford the allowances necessary for an extremely capable person with a disability to contribute and make that difference.
I can write. I’m a good photographer, too. I’ll continue to write letters and send photos to the people in nursing and care homes. I’ll continue to write letters to politicians, TDs and Senators as and when the situation calls for. I’ll continue to make a difference if given the opportunity, and if I’m supported in doing so.
I would ask that you, as members of the Oireachtas, consider ways people with disabilities, people excluded from contributing as the Irish Examiner article shows, can be helped in and afforded the opportunity to direct our own very capable resources, often learned from a life of struggle and graft for ourselves, towards a better Ireland we all know can and believe should exist.
Thanks for your time.
Kind regards,
Me
