A Social Report for Ireland Volume II - the NESC Website

3029.10 ConclusionThis chapter has provided an overview of the well-being of people withdisabilities in Ireland across six aspects of their lives: economic resources, workand participation, relationships and care, community and environment, health,and democracy and values. As stated at the outset, people with disabilities are adistinct population group who transcend the life cycle of children with disabilities,people of working age with disabilities and older people with disabilities. Withinthe life cycle framework, and in this report, people with disabilities are consideredspecifically and separately in line with a mainstreaming approach, where peoplewith disabilities should benefit from measures across all stages of the life cycle.Demographically, people with disabilities make up just under ten per cent (8per cent) of the population (325,800 people). Disability is highly correlated withage with just over a third of people with disabilities aged 65 and over. Mobility/dexterity and pain are the most frequently reported disability types. There is somevariation in disability type by age. For example, persons reporting an intellectualand learning disability were mainly in the younger age groups, as were people withspeech disabilities. Over two thirds of those experiencing emotional, psychologicaland mental health disabilities were aged between 18 and 64, while the mostfrequently reported disability for older age groups was mobility and dexterity.Ireland’s expenditure on disability benefits has increased substantially in recentyears. Overall, government spending on disability specific services in 2008, asreported by Government Departments was some c6.5 billion. Information is notavailable on people with disabilities’ satisfaction with life. However, using anillustrative ‘personal outcomes measure’, based on a sample of 300 people withdisabilities who regularly used a disability service, on average, just under than halfof the desired outcomes were present.With regard to economic resources people with disabilities have incomes about 70per cent of the level of people without a disability. People with disabilities tend tobe concentrated in the lower income deciles and in the lower social class groups.They often have extra costs associated with their disabilities. As a result of all ofthese factors the risk of both income poverty and consistent poverty for peoplewith disabilities is high—about twice the rate for the general population. Theyalso experience much higher levels of deprivation than the population generally.Currently, many people with disabilities rely on social welfare benefits for theirincome. These benefits do not take into account the extra costs associated withhaving a disability, although there are grants and schemes available to assist withsome of these costs. A recent OECD review has pointed to the fragmentation ofthe benefit system for people with disabilities and the limited consideration givento work capacity. The OECD suggests that more adequate payments should beintroduced to mitigate the additional costs associated with disability, and to reducepoverty among people with disabilities. The government has set out a number ofproposed reforms in this area and recently introduced some changes.Having a sense of purpose through work and participation contributes to well-being.The participation of people with disabilities in the labour force is much lower thanthat of the non-disabled population. Three quarters of people with disabilities arenot in the labour force: one third of these are categorised as ill or disabled, one third