John Dolan CEO Budget 2011 Address at Pre Budget Launch – Mansion House 14th October 2010

Our interest is disabled people and their families. We have outlined our expectations and hopes for the coming year in our Budget Submission, but today I want to concentrate over the next five to ten years. What will be the capacity of our State to support its disabled people in 2016 or ten years from this Budget in 2021?

The State is committed to ensuring that disabled people can participate in all aspects of life in Ireland as full citizens. This commitment it shares with all parties to the Towards 2016 Social Partnership agreement, Business, Trade Union, Environment, Farming and Community and Voluntary pillars. The National Disability Strategy is the practical expression of that commitment, and DFI has been calling for an NDS Recession Implementation Plan to keep us on track with it. We understand that the Government is now taking steps to deliver the recession plan, so essential to underwrite the necessary service provision for disabled people and to prevent further cuts to services. However a year has passed since that commitment was made, how long does it take to create this plan?