Voice of people with disabilities will be heard – Minister

PRESENTATION Nicola Carroll, who gave a presentation at the conference, is pictured with Minister McGrath.

Disabilities Minister praises Western Care for ‘magnificent’ work in its 50 years of service

Edwin McGreal

The wishes of people with disabilities will be to the fore in the reconfiguration of the provision of services in the sector, according to Government Minister Finian McGrath.
The Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection, Justice,  Equality and Health, with special responsibility for Disability Issues, was speaking in Westport on Wednesday night last.
Mr McGrath was the keynote speaker at Western Care’s 50th anniversary conference, entitled ‘Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities’, at Hotel Westport.
He was introduced by Western Care’s Executive Director, Bernard O’Regan, who stated how pleased the association was that there is now a minister with a specific focus on people with disabilities.
Minister McGrath spoke about the need to ‘transform’ services for people with disabilities to ‘a model of personally chosen supports’ which will enable the individual to ‘live as normal a life as possible’.
“The growing recognition of civil society of the rights of people with disabilities to participate in and to contribute to social and economic life has driven the development of service provision in Ireland in recent years and will continue to do so into the future,” he said.
The Minister said personalised budgets for people with disabilities would represent a significant change, ‘giving control of funding back to the individual and their family’. For those who do not wish to avail of personalised budgets, the Minister said they ‘still want to have more choice in who delivers their services and supports’.
“I am determined that the voices of all people with disabilities will be heard when it comes to framing services in the future. The cornerstone of which will be greater independence through choice, control and personal centred planning.”
Minister McGrath, a native of Tuam, said his Task Force on Personalised Budgets will have people with disabilities and their families represented on it.
He cited an ability to live independently and to be a part of one’s local community via employment, social and sporting opportunities as vital for people with disabilities.
“This is about giving people with disabilities a life of your choosing, of how to spend their day, having the same options available as other adults while, at the same time, having supports to be able to make meaningful choice,” he said.
He cited his announcement of €100 million in capital funding until 2021 for people with disabilities to move into more individualised accommodation as an example of his commitment to the sector.

‘Delivered magnificently’
Minister McGrath commended Western Care for their work across half a century, since their establishment by concerned parents in Mayo in 1966.  
“You should be very, very proud of the role you have played in providing services to people with an intellectual disability and their families in Mayo over the past 50 years.
“Your mission is to empower people to live full and satisfied lives as equal citizens and you have delivered magnificently on that aim. I think it is important I say that tonight not only as a Minister but as a parent of a daughter with an intellectual disability,” he said.
“The history of the Western Care Association demonstrates that you have the inspiration, you have the imagination and you have the commitment to make a strong contribution in the coming years to transform the lives of people with disabilities in our society.”
Chairperson of the Western Care Association, Anthony McCormack, paid tribute to Minister McGrath and also to the Association’s founders.
“I want to commend our founders on their great initiative and foresight. We are extremely fortunate to be handed an organisation in such great shape,” he said.
Minister McGrath was presented with a number of gifts from Western Care service users, including a marvelous painting by John Walsh from Ballinrobe, which the Minister was so impressed with, he said it ‘will be going up in the office in the morning’.