Guth & Tuairim, Féabhra 1980

-- - Scoil N!isi6nta Chnoc a•Stolaire. 9 Mary's ladies and _gents ~j ' Salon - : .. ~ t?P.~ Hairdressing G-~., .. · •_.~~ ~ J •• ' · ' I l.i _ ..... MIDDLETOWN TUE., WED., THUR. 10.30 - 6.00 FRI., SAT. 10.30- 8.00 I FEW FACTS ON NEEDS OF THE HA~DICAFPED - Le Donal K. 0 Boyle. All Government departments - like modern business firms - use statistics extensively and in many ways; making policy decisions; testing new ideas; and in trying to get a better understanding of the economic and social relationships . Eut ask any Government department, Health Board, National Manpower and Gaeltarra Eireann (or Udaras an Gaeltachta) bow many disabled are resident in the Gaeltacht, and with little or no statistics available on their nwnber or their needs, they will reply NOT KNOWN. A reason for this lack of interest stems from the fact that the disabled are not a homogeneous group speaking with one voice through a central organisation. It has become a common practice; to talk of the disabled and at times treat them as though they are a separate and distinct race of people. Eut the handicapped are as various as those who have not suffered the misfortune of disablement. It is an accepted fact that there are many disabled people resident in various parts of the Gaeltacht, from Donegal to Kerry, from Galway to Cork and from Mayo to Meath, who are unrecognised and unaided by the various Health Boards. Many have such inadequate allowances that hey are forced to compromise on necessities in order to subsist. They have added medical problems and housing ~roblems; problems of education and training; of employment and income; of access and mobility; and of leisure and equipment. 'As far back as I care to remember the handicapped population of this country have been treated by various Government departments in a piecemeal and haphazard fashion. Various departments have become involved in dealing with the many ·problems of the handicapped, from medical to educational, and from employment to social needs. Such an unco-ordinated approach with each department section jealously guarding its own sector, has been criticised by many organisations over the years. This system haa issued many reports , but as always such reports have ended up gathering dust on the many department shelves, whi.le . the disabled suffer on. The prospect for a disabled person living in the Gaeltacht area is one of struggle and disappointment. The limited resources show an uneven geographical distribution, limiting the services to the major cities and towns. The _ Gaeltacht regions have been bidly neglected over the years, and most handicapped people and their families are not informed of the. services that are available, or indeed which ·services they are entitled to benefit from. The North Western Health Board would confirm that around 350 handicapped people between· the age groups of 16 to 65 are resident within the Donegal Ga.eltacht, and receive the Disabled Persons Maintenance Allowance. Ho"!' many receive the full allowance or indeed part of the allowance? No figures are issued. How many receive no benefits, no one knows. Many disabled, due to a very unfair means test, are not entitled to benefit from the free TV licence, electricity or travel scheme. And with such a means test very few of the 350 will receive the much advertised mobility allowance recently introduced by the Health Board. We have no Rehabilitation Centre, no Special Schools, no hospitals or. Residential Centres -in any of the Gaeltachtregion Ask the department of Health or the Health Boards how many disabled from the Gaeltacht have received rehabilitation, and the answer is 'not known~. I asked ~aeltarra Eireann (who were responsible for the economic development of the Gaeltacht) over the years how many disabled were employed within their various industries, and again the reply was 'not known'. Within the next year a new sheltered workshop will open within the Gweedore Industrial Estate. It will cater for 56. The Health Board have yet to inform parents of handicapped tee~agers what sort of employment will be available, or indeed how will the Health Board select the handicapped for this new ven~re. I would request that the newly formed Udaras na Gaeltachta will focus more attention on the plight of the disabled, and ul their lot. H to El Ill .... s: 1-' ~ b:! 1-j ...... p.. s; ~\ Ill !; ~ p.. 0 0 i, .... 1-j . o= ~ ~ 1-j c Ill ~ ~ 'd ~g: ci-1\l t-'•0 2"' 1-'0 ~~ ~« ~ :0:: ro Ill g-g: 1-j 1-' ro ro I (I) El ::s ~ l"l • (I) Ill 1-' 1-' « -- T4RABUSES hery Friday ~ndSunday 50pr•tum Your Dancing Diary SUNDAY l)th DUSKEY SISTERS & THE FAIRWAYS FRIDAY 15th - FLASH SATURDAY 16th CABARET & DISCO (OVER 21'S) SUNDAY 17th ROLY Di.NIELS FRIDAY 22nd ~ MANDY & SHAMPOO SATURDAY 2)rd - CABARET & DISCO (OVER 21'S) SUNDAY 24th - GLEN CUHTIN FRIDAY 29th - TWEED SATURDAY lst -CABARET & DISCO (OVER 21'S) SUNDAY 2nd - BILL RYAN & BUCKSHOT Main Street, OUNGLOE :c: ....