More than 7,600 with disabilities on social housing waiting lists

Disability rights groups have expressed concern at figures showing more than 7,600 people with disabilities are on social housing waiting lists.

The Disability Federation of Ireland’s chief executive officer John Dolan said: “There was a housing crisis for people with disabilities prior to the current crisis. This crisis within the overall housing crisis now needs urgent attention.

“Local authorities need to start an ambitious building programme, and make these homes available to people with disabilities.”

Kathleen O'Meara, director of communications at Rehab, said: "Ireland needs to get to grips with how we support people with disabilities to live in their own homes. These figures show the Government is failing our most vulnerable members of society."

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The charity, which works with people with disabilities, pointed out that Ireland was the only country in Europe which had yet to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, which affords people with disabilities the same basic human rights as everyone else.

Waiting lists

The figures were obtained by RTÉ and covered every county except Offaly and Kilkenny, which declined to provide details of waiting lists.

Some 1,010 people with disabilities in Dublin and 1,015 in Cork were reported to be on social housing lists. Galway, despite having a considerably smaller population, had 1,096 people with disabilities waiting for housing, while Kerry reported 662.

Dr Cathal Morgan, head of operations at the HSE Disability Service, said they were “not untouched also by the housing crisis”, and the HSE “put huge efforts into trying to source accommodation to meet the needs of people with very complex disabilities”.

Unsuitable

Labour Party spokeswoman on disability Kathleen Lynch urged Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy to devise a specific plan for people with disabilities under the Rebuilding Ireland plan for housing and homelessness.

“Not all people with disabilities need to be on the social housing waiting lists,” Ms Lynch said. “Many people with disabilities may be on the list because the homes they are currently living in are unsuitable for their needs.

“Local Authorities need to make additional help to adapt homes available. The funds available for housing adaptation grants needs to be increased.”