DISABILITY CUTBACKS:INDEPENDENT PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Seán Gallagher said the president had little or no power to prevent budgetary cutbacks, during a debate organised by intellectual disability group Inclusion Ireland.
The candidates faced questions from people with intellectual disabilities and their carers at the forum hosted by RTÉ presenter Miriam O’Callaghan in the Mansion House in Dublin yesterday.
“The president has little power or no power in terms of intervention regarding cutbacks. That’s solely a matter for Government and the relevant Government departments,” Mr Gallagher said.
Asked what candidates would do to minimise budgetary cutbacks in the intellectual disability sector, Mr Gallagher said the president could “shine a light” on important but marginalised areas that needed to be supported.
“But in short it would be foolish and unwise and imprudent to say that a president could intervene in these potential cutbacks,” he said.
Labour candidate Michael D Higgins said the president could only use his or her influence “in terms of moral suasion” and proposed seminars which would enable “the light to indeed shine on where the gap is emerging”.
Mr Higgins said he was an advocate of what he called “radical, inclusive citizenship”.
Stressing his experience, he said: “What I have offered is my life and what I am offering is a significant portion of the rest of my life.”
Sinn Féin candidate Martin McGuinness said he intended to be an “outspoken” president and promised to make Áras an Uachtaráin an “open house” for people with disabilities.
Mr McGuinness reiterated his plan to use the bulk of the presidential salary to employ six young people currently in receipt of social welfare, adding: “I am very seriously considering that among those six people will be people with disabilities.”
Fine Gael candidate Gay Mitchell said the president of the day met the taoiseach at least once a month. “That should be a two-way dialogue. The president shouldn’t just be briefed by the taoiseach on what the issues of the day are; the president should brief back,” Mr Mitchell said.
Mr Mitchell said if elected he would call a meeting of the Dáil and Seanad to talk about suicide. “All the equality legislation we have had in recent years came from the EU. It didn’t happen here at home,” the MEP for Dublin added.
Independent Mary Davis said people with an intellectual disability would be directly represented on her Council of State, “with the proper supports that are required to undertake and discharge your duties”.
Independent candidate David Norris admitted that the president “cannot do very much” but he said “visits” were important. Mr Norris said he would be “a voice for the marginalised” if elected president.
Independent Dana Rosemary Scallon had previously indicated she would not attend.
