A 10-point plan drawn up by groups representing the State's estimated 360,000 people with disabilities was issued to candidates for the European and local elections in Ennis, Co. Clare, yesterday. The plan - drawn up by the Centre for Independent Living in conjunction with the Information Age Town, the Central Remedial Clinic and the Disabled People of Clare (DPOC) - calls on the Government to bring forward changes to the Constitution for people with disabilities to achieve full social, civil, and political rights.
Stressing the need to have the plan high on the agenda in advance of the elections on June 11th, Mr Dermot Hayes of the DPOC said: "The topics set out in this manifesto will go some way to make the idea of independent living a reality."
Calling on the 29 EU candidates and 700 local candidates to adopt the plan, Mr Hayes said: "Instead of building barriers that exclude people with disabilities, we urge you to consider adopting our issues of inclusion in our communities both locally and in the wider European policy decisions. We have waited too long." The plan calls for the implementation of building regulations to improve access; an increase in the disabled person's grant; improved parking facilities and the establishment of an EU watchdog to monitor rights of people with disabilities in the enlargement process.
