Why should disabled people be financially disadvantaged for choosing to work?
In the recent budget, the Government introduced a €500 Cost of Disability payment. A welcome step, but there's a catch: disabled people who work are excluded.
I've been fortunate to enjoy a career spanning over 30 years, thanks in no small part to the encouragement of my parents and family. Today, I work in digital accessibility, helping make websites and mobile applications more accessible to people using assistive technology. It's a career I love and am proud of.
But when this payment was announced, for the first time in my life, I felt penalised for having a job.
Alongside two fellow disability activists, James Cawley and Ann-Marie Flanagan, I've been campaigning for fairness.
Our message is simple: The extra costs of disability don't disappear when you go to work.
We are calling for a non-means-tested Cost of Disability payment for all disabled people, regardless of employment status.
We've been sharing our concerns through the media, including on RTÉ's Drivetime programme.
🎧 Listen to our discussion:
https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/ed56b7fe-658c-4292-8716-b4eb00c6a2da/
I'm delighted that we now have a meeting scheduled for early November with Minister Jack Chambers and Minister Dara Calleary.
We're grateful for the opportunity to make our case and hopeful that meaningful change can follow.
Disabled people can work, want to work, and are proud of the contribution they make. Our policies should encourage that, not penalise it.
#CostOfDisability #DisabilityRights #DisabilityInclusion #EmploymentEquality #Accessibility
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