Press Release:

Rehab Group Urges Government to Tackle the Cost of Disability which sees increasing numbers of disabled people turn to food banks.

At the launch of its Pre-Budget Submission in Leinster House today, Rehab Group, Ireland’s largest provider of disability services, is calling on the Government to address the cost of living for people with disabilities and increase funding for essential disability services.

Testimonies shared by service users highlight the severe financial and health struggles faced by disabled people across Rehab’s services. One service user said: “I can’t afford my medication and my shopping each week. I find it difficult to make ends meet. It’s impossible to save money for things such as a house or learning to drive.” Another added, “It’s €1,200 to get my wisdom teeth out. If I go with my medical card, it’s years to wait. My gums are rotting, and I have to take antibiotics regularly.”

These personal stories reveal the urgent need for Budget 2025 to deliver a fairer society and provide real opportunities for disabled people to participate fully in their communities.

Rehab Group’s submission is based on insights from 50 focus groups involving 500 people who use its services nationwide. The findings show that many people with disabilities are unable to live independent, self-determined lives due to financial hardships. The report highlights the growing reliance on aging family members and the lack of access to community-based supports. Loneliness and exclusion are common, compounded by inadequate public transport and a shortage of mental health services.

The focus groups also highlighted the double burden of the cost-of-living crisis for disabled people and the struggle to access timely and affordable healthcare. Increases to the Disability Allowance barely cover basic needs, leaving little room for social engagement or independence. Everyday activities, such as meeting friends for coffee, have become unaffordable, contributing to isolation and exclusion.

Rehab Group employees shared their concerns about these issues, reporting that they often refer service users to food banks or St. Vincent de Paul for extra support.

“There are no options to use public transport in the evenings and weekends. I have to rely on family to drop and collect me. I’m an adult and I feel like a child. I should be able to travel independently to go out socially,” a service user said.

According to EU statistics on income and living conditions from 2022, Ireland ranks 22nd out of 27 EU countries in terms of disability poverty, despite being one of the wealthier EU nations.

At the same time, long-promised reforms to disability services have stalled, and Section 39 organisations, which provide 70% of specialist disability services, continue to face severe underfunding. Despite accounting for most services, these organisations receive only 35% of the overall disability budget. Rehab is calling for urgent action to address the funding crisis in disability services.

Key demands in Rehab’s submission include pay parity, sustainable multi-annual funding, and a commitment to ensure that services provided by Section 39 organisations receive the same level of funding as those delivered directly by the HSE.

Rehab Group CEO Barry McGinn stressed the importance of immediate action, stating: “Disabled people are marginalised by financial, physical, and societal constraints that reinforce our unequal society. Ireland still has a way to go to meet the needs and rights of disabled people as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with a Disability. As Budget 2025 is the final Budget in this Dáil term, this is the last opportunity the Government has to deliver on the commitments made in the Programme for Government.”

With thousands of people with disabilities across the country struggling to meet basic needs, Rehab’s submission calls for an urgent response from the Government to create a more equitable and inclusive society.

Note to Editor:

On Wednesday, 18 September, advocates from Rehab services and Rehab employees will travel to Leinster House to give testimony to the challenges people with disabilities face in Ireland and to brief public representatives on their key asks for Budget 2025.

KEY BUDGET ASKS IN REHAB’S PRE-BUDGET SUBMISSION ARE:

1. Introduce a Cost of Disability payment and increase basic rates of social welfare by at least €30 per week.

2. Increase investment in housing provision and homecare/personal assistants supports to enable people with disabilities to live independent lives.

3. Address hidden healthcare costs by ensuring all medical and dental needs are covered by the medical card and provide speedy access to mental health services.

4. Invest in rural transport links and provide greater supports for individualised transport, including subsidies/allowances for people with disabilities to avail of driving lessons.

5. Ensure the funding is in place to match the ambition of the Action Plan for Disability Services (2024-2026) for the provision of disability services.

6. Provide funding for full pay parity for Section 39 organisations and return to alignment with HSE pay scales.

7. Provide multiannual funding for disability organisations delivering vital services on behalf of the HSE and State.

8. Invest in and develop a clear strategy to support people with disabilities to gain and retain employment.

9. Ensure a first-class education experience for NLN students with a disability through provision of funding for core costs at 2025 rates, providing capital investment, and making provision for students’ extra-curricular activities.

10. Invest in the development of an Irish Assistive Technologies ecosystem that supports the active inclusion and participation of disabled people in all aspects of life.

Link to full Pre-Budget Submission 2025: https://rehab.ie/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Rehab-PBS-2025-Final.pdf