| Urgent PAS News Circular
On November 19th a Motion will be brought before the Dáil to debate our right to a Personal Assistance Service (PAS). Right now we all need to become active and let our elected representatives know that this is a human rights issue. We need you to mobilise friends and family to email your local TDs to ensure they participate in the debate and vote in favour of the Motion. This is URGENT as this is our opportunity to have our voice heard!
As we are all aware we do not currently have a right to a PAS in Ireland. It is still operated as a pilot project and as we know all too well from 2012 it can be taken away from us if funding is deemed unavailable. There is also no standardized procedure or application process for PAS and those in receipt of this support have no security regarding the continuation or extent of their service due to lack of legislative protection.
Here at ILMI we have been working to change that and secure our right to access PAS. It is really important that when the motion being brought forward by Deputies Thomas Pringle and Tommy Broughan comes into the Dáil that ILMI members have lobbied their TDs so that the motion is effectively debated and passed. We need politicians to know how important this issue is - that means you need to let them know what it means to you!
The #PASNOW campaign originated from consultations with ILMI members across the country. From that, ILMI worked with the Centre for Disability Law and Policy NUIG to look at how we could achieve the right to PAS in Ireland. This report was published in the Dáil in May 2019 and is available to read here.
Initially ILMI was working towards developing a Private Members Bill with Eversheds Sutherland through the Public Interest Litigation Association (PILA) to bring about a right to Personal Assistance. Recent changes in standing orders that govern Private Members Bills mean that at present, we cannot bring that Bill before the Dáil. However in order to keep momentum, Deputies Thomas Pringle and Tommy Broughan are bringing a Motion to debate a right to Personal Assistance before the Dáil on November 19th.
At this stage we need YOU to become an active participant in this campaign. We need your help to ensure our elected representatives know how important this Motion is. Most importantly we need them to understand what Personal Assistance Services really mean to us and how by voting in favour of the motion, we can finally work towards the right to access PAS.
What you can do right now:
- Contact your local TD. There is a draft email below should you wish to use it.
- Let them know how important your PAS is to you and what it means to your daily life.
- Let them know about the Motion being put forward on November 19th.
- Urge them to vote yes on November 19th.
- Contact us at info@ilmi.ie or any of our staff members directly. We have a list of your local TD contact details and a draft email should you require it.
Email to TDs in relation to motion on a Right to Personal Assistance on November 19th:
Dear Deputy,
I am contacting you as a constituent in relation to the Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI) campaign and we are asking for your support at a critical time. We are calling on politicians to unite on a cross-party basis to attend and vote in favour of a Motion to support the Right to Personal Assistance Service on Tuesday 19th November,
Independent Living is about disabled people having the freedom to have the same choices that everyone else has in housing, transportation, education and employment. Independent living is about choosing what aspects of social, economic and political life disabled people want to participate in. It is about having control over your life, to have a family, to get a job, to participate socially and to realise your goals and dreams. For many disabled people, Independent Living can best be achieved through the Personal Assistance Service (PAS).
With the PAS, disabled people are in control and direct the PA to carry out tasks both inside and outside of the home, including personal care, domestic duties, assisting in day-to-day tasks such as shopping, support in the workplace or socialising. A PA does not “look after” or “care for” disabled people.
A distinct benefit of PAS is that it reduces dependence on family and friends. The confidential relationship that develops between disabled people and their PAs allows disabled people to maintain a private life and their dignity. The PAS is often the difference between existing and living for many disabled people.
In 2017, 84 percent of those in receipt of a PA service received less than three hours a day and 42 percent of these people were in receipt of between one and five hours a week. This is only an average of 42 minutes a day. As far back as 1996, it was identified that an average need for 10 hours of PA service per person per week could only respond to essential personal care needs, not quality of life requirements and it would certainly not enable full participation in the community.
Currently there is no legal right to personal assistance in Ireland. There is no standardized procedure or application process and those in receipt of this support have no security regarding the continuation or extent of their service due to lack of legislative protection.
In March 2018 Ireland finally ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Under Article 19 of the CRPD disabled people have the right to live in the community and have access to a range of in-home and other supports, including personal assistance.
At this stage Deputy, I am contacting you as my local TD asking that you to support this disability rights campaign. I am asking you as my local TD that I need you to be part of the debate when the Motion is put to the Dáil on Tuesday 19th November.
As my elected representative I need you to understand what Personal Assistance Services really mean to me and how being part of the debate on the motion and voting in its favour you can be part of the discussion to bring about a right to access a PAS.
Yours Sincerely
For more information on the ILMI #PASNOW Campaign please see our:
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