Oct 24, 2013:
Joint Statement on Budget 2014
Budget 2014 targets the young, the old, the sick, and people with disabilities and takes no account of the current circumstances of any of these already marginalised groups. Active Retirement Ireland, Age Action Ireland, Age and Opportunity, The Disability Federation of Ireland, SpunOut.ie and Third Age/Senior Helpline are deeply unhappy with the abolition of the telephone allowance, the increase of €1 in the prescription charge, the lowering of the income threshold for medical cards for the over-seventies, the withdrawal of the bereavement grant and other measures taken in the Budget that affect not only older people, but also our young people, pregnant mothers, family carers, people with disabilities and with long-term conditions, and parents.
The degradation of supports and services generally across society, whether relating to children, families or older people, also negatively impacts on people with disabilities. Clearly there continues to be serious reductions in services specifically relating to people with disabilities and these don't always manifest themselves on or around Budget day. Disability is something that we understand to be a societal and not simply a sectoral issue, as disability can affect all people across society. It attacks the continuous wellbeing of individuals and families right across the life course from infants through to the end of life. The latest review of medical cards will cause undue hardship for those with disabilities and their families if it leads to the removal of discretionary medical cards.
The youth of Ireland are being forced out of their own country by the savage and sweeping cuts to Jobseekers' Allowance for those aged under 26. This will affect approximately 21,000 young people, for whom there are under 700 jobs and only 3,250 training places. Our children should not be made to feel that their only option for a living wage and a decent standard of living is to emigrate - a family severance which causes pain to all generations.
In 2013, older people, families, young people and people with disabilities have been hit with cuts that completely undermine the National Disability Strategy, National Positive Ageing Strategy and the Government's pre-Budget commitment to maintain current levels of core social transfers.
We are many groups, but have come together to call on the Government to listen to the marginalised elements of society. In a year when the Government will provide some €870m of relief to the banking sector, older people will suffer increased loneliness and isolation; young people will leave the country in their tens of thousands; people with disabilities will become more disengaged from participating in community life; expectant mothers will suffer increased financial constraints and bereaved relatives will suffer more while at their most vulnerable.
We call on the government to stop the continuous erosion of vital supports to the most vulnerable in society, to reverse the damage being done to the social infrastructure, which will complement the emphasis on economic recovery, and to put Ireland's citizens first.
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