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Cumhacht Vol 1, Number 4. Spring 2003

Carpe Diem! (Seize The Day)

By Michael Ringrose, Chief Executive, PwDI

The New Year is upon us. This time it carries with it a special designation and description. It is called the European Year of People with Disabilities (EYPD). What does it mean? What can we expect?

We can expect extra news features on disability issues. We can expect to see photos in the media of people with disabilities engaged in a variety of activities. We can expect to see individual accounts of extraordinary endurance, sacrifice, resilience, courage and achievement. We can also expect to read and hear of individuals who have been left out and remain on the margins or are, indeed, virtually totally excluded from the opportunity to participate in economic, educational, social or cultural activity.

We will all, I expect, marvel at the athletes who will come to this country and join with our own country men and women in participating in the Special Olympics Games. We will, I expect, pay tribute to and honour all those who will make it happen. Many will devote their spare time and use their holiday leave to work with the Special Olympics in a true and admirable spirit of real volunteerism. They are each and all to be heartedly commended.

But, what about afterwards?

Disability will not go away at the end of this special year. It will remain as a feature and fact of life for an estimated 360,000 in this country alone. The cost, in purely economic terms, is not known. Shame. The unrealised economic costs and benefits which would accrue by enabling and supporting the inclusion of people disabilities in productive economic and social activity, is also unknown.

If this EYPD is to have tangible results and remain as a significant year for people with disabilities, then the Ministers with responsibility in each relevant Department - Finance; Justice, Equality & Law Reform; Social & Family Affairs; Transport; Communications; Health and Children; Education & Science; Enterprise, Trade and Employment, (it is difficult to exclude a Department that does not have the opportunity of making a significant difference) - should make a commitment to get it right this time.

The framing of the new Disability Bill presents the opportunity to commit to best practice and create, in Ireland, a centre of excellence in all matters relating to disability issues. Carpe Diem! Seize the day and the year will take care of itself.

Michael Ringrose
CEO

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