Update 30th October 2008.

We Are Delighted To Inform You That The Following Cuts Have Been Reversed By The Government on the 30th October as a Result of Lobbying From Many Disability Groups Such As Ourselves Throughout The Country.

BUDGET 2009: What it means for our children

IMPLICATIONS FOR AUTISTIC PERSONS OF BUDGET 2008.

There have been many changes in the level of servcies and entitlements to autistic persons in the Budget of 2008. We have split areas into three main groups, education, health, others.

1. Education.

Regressive measures taken by government which will have impact on our children/siblings.

a. Reduced school building programme.
b. 400 fewer teachers.
c. Abolition of sub teachers from January 2009.
d. Abolishing of grants for resource teachers.
e. Books for schools- Funding reduced by 7.5 million.
f. Reduction in teacher secondments to in servcie training.
g. Non implementation of Epsom Act.
h. Cut in ICT funding for schools.

2. HEALTH.

A full detailed list of cutbacks will be listed next week.

3. OTHERS

Various ministers are at present(15-10-08) giving details of cutbacks within their departments. The most worring change to date is the changes to Disability benefit. They have changed the age criteria for this. It has been raised from 16 to 18 years of age. This will have a major impact upon funding for our children/adults. At present parents receive Domiciliary Care Allowance for autistic child up to the age of sixteen. Payment can be up to €299.60 per month. At 16 our children would have been eligible to receive Disability Allowance. This allowance can pay up to €197.80 per week, or if our figures are correct, €857.13 per month. The difference can be up to €557.53 per month for government.

The government stated that budget will not impact on the disabled , this action clearly is designed to punish both parents of and most especially the disabled person . The government justifies cut by stating that they responded to call from National Federation Of Voluntary Bodies to have the age limit changed. We have checked on this and indeed the National Federation Of Voluntary Bodies asked for change in submission to government under 'Disability Allowance Review as part of Governments Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative'.

We think it is important that all of our families who might be affected by this change should note the actual wording of Natioanl Federation Of Voluntary Bodies in above mentioned submission:

Point 10 of N.F.V.B.

" The issue of age payment of the Disability Allowance was discussed. There was asuggestion that the Disability Allowance be paid to individuals at the age of 18 than 16 years. At present the age for receipt of Disability Allowance is sixteen years. We deem this to be too young. This does not give incentive for a child to pursue work/education options. Subsequently a child may fall into the dependency trap too early. Instead parents should receice Domiciliary Care Allowance for the child until they are 18 years old."

Point 11 of N.F.V.B.

" At 18 years the person would receive the Disability Directly. This would ensure that the payment goes to the individual rather than to the family budget. At 18 years a natural financial break occurs and payment can be made into the individuals own bank account."

The full wording of submission can be accessed from N.F.V.B web site.

As the majority of our member families will find it extremely offensive that the N.F.V.D., who have no right to speak for families , should infer that these types of allowance are used to subsidise the budget of the whole family we earnestly hope that local voluntary members in Cork and elsewhere did not support this view of N.F.V.B.

 

Kieran Kennedy,

CEO Shine/IPAA

 

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