Advocacy

The Irish Wheelchair Association plays a central role in highlighting the issues which affect its members in their day-to-day lives and their capacity to participate fully and equally in society. The IWA Advocacy Team takes a lead role in advocating for change.

Essentially, IWA was founded on the principles of advocacy. People who shared the same interests and issues came together to establish a group which could represent those issues. It was the pooling of the resources, knowledge and experience in order to lobby the decision–makers who had the power to make things better for people with disabilities.

Advocating on disability issues is an ongoing process as human rights; dignity and equality still continue to dominate the disability agenda. Research has shown that people with disabilities experience high levels of social exclusion, unemployment, discrimination, poverty and are statistically educationally disadvantaged. These facts have been acknowledged and change has been legislated for under the Disability Act 2005, Equal Status Act 2000, Employment Equality Act 1998, etc.

However, the magnitude of change needed will not happen by chance. The Advocacy Team has a clear role in working for change and improved circumstances for people with disabilities in Ireland.

IWA as an organisation for people with physical and sensory disabilities advocate and lobby for the:-

  • Rights and equality of people with disabilities being respected and upheld.
  • Social and economic inclusion of people with disabilities.
  • Government to invest in measures that enact on legislation and enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities.

If you feel you have anything to contribute, or wish to have your concerns and issues included in our advocacy agenda you can contact us at advocacy@iwa.ie

Follow this link to advocacy issues

Lobbying

May 2005 saw a magnificent turn-out for a march on Leinster House at which members and staff, with the support of other disability groups, called for modification of the Disability Bill. Activities such as this demonstrate how effectively IWA can mobilise itself when crucial issues arise. Decisions are made by individuals and, in many cases, you would be surprised how much the proper targeting of a select few individuals can achieve. We have identified a reading list for those interested in ongoing campaigning and lobbying.

IWA SUBMISSIONS

Also, IWA makes regular submissions to government agencies, Oireachtas subcommittees and others. Recent submissions have included:

  • Submission on the Disability Bill
    Over 12 months after the promised delivery date, the Disability Bill was finally published in October 2004. The Bill is just one part of the government's "Disability Strategy", the other elements being the Comhairle Amendment Bill, Key Departmental Sectoral Plans, and a multi-annual funding package. Although it is only one part of this "strategy", the Disability Bill is by far and away the most important element. The strategy lives and dies by its strength. Unfortunately, the legislation as it stands as fundamentally flawed. As regards the Budget 2005, IWA of course welcomes the €½ million grant towards the refurbishment of Cuisle. This is much-needed and will serve our members interests very well. However, the trumpeted €900 million multi-annual funding package is, when properly examined, not as generous as it seems. It is spread over five years in such a way that small, incremental increases of just €50 million are given every year until 2009. As regards the Sectoral Plans, these are limited to just six departments instead of covering all departments. Furthermore, the draft plans as they currently stand are quite vague and only reinforce commitments made in previous partnership agreements. Indeed, the draft plan of the Department Of The Environment makes no mention of housing! This is incredible coming from the Department which funds the Disabled Person's Housing Grant. IWA made a submission to the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Women's Issues on the Disability Bill. Our submission backed up concerns raised by our representative organisations, Disability Federation of Ireland and the Not-For-Profit Business Association, as well as a host of other disability organisations. For information on the Joint Committee, click here: irlgov.ie site or Download Submission. The legislation will return to the Oireachtas for debate in February 2005.
  • Submission to the Dept. of the Environment Heritage and Local Government on Technical Guidance Document, Part B - Fire Safety - of the Building regulations 1997.
    The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr. Martin Cullen TD, in August 2003, announced the launch of a consultation process on Part B - Fire Safety - of the Building Regulations, to introduce amendments to the current regulatory regime. The Irish Wheelchair Association made the following submission on Fire Safety Regulations - Part B - to the Minister.
  • Submission to the National Anti-Poverty Strategy, NAPS incl. (April 2003)
    Under EU law, governments are required to submit regular strategies on how they will counter poverty and social exclusion. NAPSincl. is the second such strategy to be produced by our government. This document outlines IWA's view of how poverty and social exclusion affect people with disabilities, and recommends suitable policies. Download submission
  • Submission on the Disabled Person's Housing Grant to the Department of the Environment and Local Government. (May 2003)
    Underfunding and haphazard administration in relation to this grant continues to be one of the most contentious issues for the IWA. This submission was presented to senior civil servants in the Department of the Environment and Local Government in July, 2003. It forms part of the IWA's ongoing campaign to force the government to recognise and respect the dignity, independence and opportunity which decent housing provision affords people with disabilities. Download submission
  • Submission on Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act, 2004
    Coupled with the Disability Bill, this will be one of the most important pieces of legislation affecting people with disabilities in Ireland. The act was originally published as the Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill in mid-2003 and IWA presented a submission to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Science on September 25th, 2003. IWA was one of over 20 organisations to contribute. For more information on the Joint Committee, Click here : or Download submission
    IWA complements the then Minister for Education, Mr Noel Dempsey TD, for his stewardship of this Act. The difference between the Bill as originally published and the final Act of Parliament was significant, taking on board many of the amendments suggested by both the disability sector and opposition parties.
    If you want to know how this Act may affect you, or people with disabilities in general, a recent article, published in RELATE, gave an excellent overview of the provisions of the Act. RELATE is the magazine of Comhairle and is available through their web site, www.comhairle.ie
    If you have any interest in this area as, for example, a parent, teacher, or advocate, this article is well worth the read. If you can't find the article on the website, contact Comhairle directly on 01 6059000.
  • Submission on the Workplace of the Future to the National Centre for Partnership and Performance. (November 2003)
    The Forum on the Workplace of the Future was inaugurated in October 2003 by the National Centre for Partnership and Performance at the request of the Irish Government. The purpose of the Forum is to develop a vision of the workplace in Ireland and to help set an agenda for change. The Forum will consider how the Irish workplace is evolving and changing. It will examine how workplaces can proactively adapt to, and deal with, competitive pressures, improving the delivery of public services and at the same time cater to the needs and preferences of workers. IWA made a submission to the Forum in November 2003. Download submission
  • Upcoming Charities Legislation
    In May 2004, IWA made a submission to a round of consultation on the shaping of upcoming Charities Legislation initiated by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. This will have a significant impact on all charitable organisations such as ourselves in terms of how we define ourselves, how we fund-raise, accountability and so on. Download submission
    Disability Federation of Ireland (tel: 01 4547978) also made an excellent submission which is available through their office in Dublin.

RECOMMENDED READING

Harvey, B., Working for Change: A Guide to Influencing Policy in Ireland. Dublin: Combat Poverty Agency, 1998.

A Strategy for Equality(1996) - Report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities. Available from the National Disability Authority

Nealon, T. (ed.), Nealon's Guide to the 29th Dáil and Seanad - Election 2002.Dublin: Gill and McMillan, 2002.

O'Donnell, J., (ed.), Administration Yearbook and Diary. Dublin: I.P.A., annual. (I.P.A. Yearbook).

Wilson, D., and Andrews, L., Campaigning: the A-Z of Public Advocacy. London: Hawksmere, 1993

Irish Media Contacts Directory, Media Information Services, Rear 59 Mulgrave Street, Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin. Tel: 01 284 5829; Fax: 01 284 5059; Email: medinfserv@eircom.net

Hazelkorn, E., and Murray, T., A Guide to Irish Politics. Dublin: Educational Company of Ireland, 1995.

OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS

Dáil Debates (one for each day of sitting).
Seanad Debates (one for each day of sitting).
Also produced as bound volumes and available on the Internet at: www.irlgov.ie

Bills, Acts, Statutory Instruments, Parliamentary Debates (accounts of Committees' proceedings), Committee Reports

All available from: Government Publications Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. (over the counter) Tel: 01 661 3111

Irish Acts and statutory instruments are available on a CD-ROM

GOVERNMENT INTERNET SITES

Irish government publications are increasingly to be found on the Internet, where each department has its own linked web site. The central site is at: www.irlgov.ie and this allows you to search all the other sites for information, including the Dáil and Seanad Debates and Committee Proceedings since 1997 (put up generally within 48 hours in full text). The full text is searchable.