A Co Kerry man who suffers from a disability has complained to the Equality Authority about a local sports centre for doubling its fees to disabled members following a €5 million refurbishment.
Mr Robert Cantwell claims he has been discriminated against as the disability sector was the only category to have a 100 per cent fee increase by the Tralee Regional Sports and Leisure Centre following renovations part funded by Government grants. Fees for other categories increased at a lesser rate.
Mr Cantwell said yesterday he has brought the matter to the attention of the Equality Authority.
The fees per month for disabled people have increased from €20 to €40 a month. However, the fees for able-bodied working adults increased from €48 a month to €60.
Charges for couples have gone up from €55 to €90 a month, while students and pensioners are being charged €40 now compared to €35 a month before the renovations.
Mr Cantwell said the fact that disabled people had been hit with the highest increase was discrimination.
He has suffered from a disability for 39 years, and has had brain surgery twice.
He said he was "extremely angry" about the increase, and that the most vulnerable sector was being hit. He received €142 a week, and said €40 a month is a lot for him to pay.
Three years ago he had a big breakthrough in his disability, and going to the gym and his exercise programme were very important to him.
The leisure centre received grants under the Department of the Environment swimming pools refurbishment programme for its recent renovations.
The acting manager at the centre, Mr Donal Dowd, denied yesterday that the fee increase was discriminatory, and said everyone was treated equally.
He said it was "technically correct" that fees for the disabled had undergone a greater percentage increase than other rates. However, the rates for disabled had been under-priced, and the increase to €40 a month from €20 was to bring it into line with senior citizen and student categories.
Mr Dowd said the fees for those with disability, or those who were referred under the GP exercise-referrals programme, still reflected a 33 per cent reduction on the full rates. The increased charges also included increased facilities, including a sauna and a steam room.
Mr Dowd said under the GP exercise-referral programme 50 people qualified for reductions.Those who are well off also qualified for the reduced fees under this programme, which entailed personal exercise plans and assistance by trained personnel. Some who could not pay might be entitled to subvention from the Southern Health Board.
"We are treating everyone equally. We have a policy of looking after special needs categories," Mr Dowd said, adding that equipment such as hoists had been installed specially for the disabled under the refurbishment.
The centre is run by the Co Kerry Education Service and the Tralee Town Council, with a management of six board members from each body.