People with Disabilities in Ireland
4th Floor Jervis House
Jervis Street
Dublin 1
Telephone: 01 87 21 74 4
Fax: 01 87 21 77 1
Email: info@pwdi.ie
PwDI members travelled on a 'Freedom Drive' to Strasbourg recently with a group from the Centre for Independent Living to meet Irish MEPs .
The group met both positive and negative attitudes on non-accessible airlines and transport.
"I felt privileged to be asked to raise issues on overseas aid of the European Union," said Mayo PwDI Chairperson Edel Cadden. "I had a little experience in this area as I spent a month last year in Macedonia working on humanitarian aid. The conditions I experienced for people with disabilities were appalling."
On Wednesday, 7 September the group marched through Strasbourg city to Parliament where they were invited to a meeting with a group of MEPs who are members of a Disability Committee representing all member states.
Three key points were highlighted: the right to independent living in Europe; the portability of personal assistance and the EU Overseas Aid programme. "Overall, I felt the trip was very successful," said Edel. "I hope we all continue to keep the spirit of the "Freedom Drive alive now that we are home.
Speaking after the visit Ireland East MEP Mairéad McGuinness said: "This campaign makes a very compelling case when it says that there is an increasing pattern of institutionalisation of people with disabilities and that Governments across Europe provide incentives to service providers to develop institutions.
"Despite the existence of the disability strategy and a raft of new laws, such as the Equal Status Act 2000, Ireland is still a very unequal place for people with disabilities. We have to ask ourselves why so little has changed."
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