COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
MOTION NO. 1
MOTION: Councillor V. Casserly
Local Authority Motion in Support of the Right to Personal Assistance
This local authority calls for a motion to support the right to Personal Assistance Service (PAS) for disabled people to have freedom, choice and control over all aspects of their lives to enable them to fully participate in an inclusive society as equals.
Independent living means an individual can live with the freedom and control to have the same choices in life that everyone else has in terms of housing, transportation, education and employment. PAS is a tool for Independent Living that allows disabled people to live independently, providing individuals with the freedom and flexibility they need to live their lives as they choose.
With PAS, disabled people are in control and direct the Personal Assistant (PA) to carry out tasks both inside and outside of the home, including personal care, domestic duties, assisting in day-to-day tasks such as shopping, support in the workplace or socialising. PAs should not be confused with ‘Home Help’ or Carers as they do not ‘look after’ or ‘care for’ a disabled person.
In Ireland there is no standardised procedure for administrating personal PA hours. In 2017, 84% of those in receipt of PAS received less than three hours a day and 42% of these people were in receipt of between 1 and 5 hours a week, an average of 42 minutes a day, despite disability being a 24-hour issue. As far back as 1996, it was identified that an average need for 10 hours of PAS per person per week could only respond to essential personal care needs, not quality of life requirements and it would certainly not enable full active participation in the community.
30 years on and the Independent Living Movement in Ireland continues to strive for full independent living on behalf of disabled people; advocating for choice and control over their lives and full participation in society as equal citizens. A right to PAS for disabled people is fundamental to achieving that vision, however, currently there is no such right in Ireland.
Considering the unanimous motion passed in Dáil Eireann on the 19th November 2019, this Local Authority recognises:
- In March 2018 Ireland formally ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which under Article 19 states that disabled people have the right to live in the community and have access to a range of in-home and other supports including PAS to support this.
- Its obligation to consult closely with disabled people and their representative organisations in policy development as enshrined in Article 4.3 of the UNCRPD which states that “in the development and implementation of legislation and policies…States Parties shall closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations”, specifically in relation to services provided by this local authority which impact on disabled people’s lives, such as planning, housing, transport, social inclusion and enterprise.
- The Motion passed in Dáil Eireann on the 19th November and as such reaffirms that PAS that supports disabled people to live independent lives should be legislated for as a right.
REPORT:
If the Motion is passed, a letter will issue to the relevant Minister and the reply, when received, will be circulated to the Members.