Government listens to disability activists and scraps egregious Green Paper
- Victory for Disability Rights Advocates
Labour’s Health Spokesperson Duncan Smith TD today welcomed news of Government scrapping of the egregious Green Paper on disability services.
Deputy Smith said,
“The government’s decision to scrap the Green Paper is a step in the right direction, but it is far from the end of the road. We must now urgently address the barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing adequate employment opportunities. This includes the introduction of a comprehensive bill of disability rights that ensures equal access to employment, education, and healthcare for all members of our society.
“It is unacceptable that in this day and age, disabled people continue to face discrimination and exclusion from key aspects of life. Any future proposals must be rights-based and consult directly with the disabled community from the outset. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past, where the voices of those most affected were ignored in the policymaking process.”
Dublin City Councillor, and Disability Rights Activist Declan Meenagh said:
“This decision comes after relentless pressure from activists who have long voiced concerns over the government’s failure to address the systemic issues facing the disabled community. The Green Paper, which did nothing to tackle ableism or the lack of essential services, has rightly been scrapped.”