Help with Disability Issues

Advice and Support

FLAC is the Free Legal Advice Clinic. They are an independent body that offers free and confidential legal advice. Anyone can contact FLAC for advice. FLAC clinics are held at Citizen Information Centres. For more information, you can visit www.flac.ie, or phone 018745690.

IHREC has a service called ‘Your Rights’. This service can provide you with information about your rights under human rights and equality law in Ireland. It can also explain what you can do if your rights have been violated. You can get more information by visiting https://www.ihrec.ie/your-rights/, or phone 018583000.

Tha National Advocacy Service (NAS) is an organisation which helps adults with disabilties. If you have a disability, physical or intellectual, one of our staff could help you with an issue you are having. NAS provides free and confidential advocacy service to adults with a disability, aged 18 years and over. NAS has particular remit to work with people with disabilities who are in vulnerable situations. 

Arts and Disability

The national development and resource organisation for arts and disability.

AT Equipment or Funding

Complaints

You can make a complaint to the HSE directly if you feel that you have been harmed by an administrative action. Citizen’s Information provides a detailed explanation of making a complaint to the HSE here (http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/health_system/making_a_complaint_about_ the_health_service_executive.html), and you can find out more about the HSE complaint procedure, and begin your complaint, here (http://www.hse.ie/eng/about/QAVD/Complaints/).

The Ombudsman accepts complaints about certain public bodies. These include:

  • All government departments
  • The HSE and public hospitals and health agencies
  • Local Authorities
  • Publicly funded universities and ITs
  • The Central Applications Office (CAO)
  • Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI)
  • The Legal Aid Board
  • The National Treatment Purchase Fund
  • The National Transport Authority,
  • The Family Support Agency
  • Sustainable Energy Ireland
  • And many other public bodies

The Ombudsman also accepts complaints about public bodies who fail to provide accessible buildings, services and information.

For more information, you can visit http://www.ombudsman.ie/en/ or phone 016395600.

The Ombudsman for Children accepts and investigates complaints around children and public services. Public services can include education, health care, social care, and other services provided by the state. For more information, you can visit www.oco.ie, or phone 018656899.

The Workplace Relations Commission can accept complaints about discrimination at work or with public and private services. These services can include transport, education, pubs, hotels, or some other services. You can make a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission here (https://www.workplacerelations.ie/en/Complaints_Disputes/Refer_a_Dispute_Make_a_ Complaint/).

If you would like support or more information about making your complaint, you can contact the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. They have a service called ‘Your Rights’ that will provide you with information on your rights in Ireland, and how to make a complaint if your rights have been violated. You can get more information on this service by visiting their website, https://www.ihrec.ie/your-rights/, or phone 018583000.

Disability Benefits in Ireland

For further information on entitlements available for people with disabilities you can contact the Citizen's Information Board.

Click here for a list of available entitlements: https://www.citizensinformationboard.ie/en/publications/information/leaflets.html 

  • Disability Benefits In Ireland

Disability Parking Permit and discs - Help from the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland

Email: info@ddai.ie Tel: 094 936 4054 or Tel: 094 936 4266 or Tel: 01 6600323

Questions on Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and all other benefits, click here

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Illness-Disability-and-Caring.aspx

Education

Have a section dealing with access.

For general support and advice but also advice around educational issues.

Employment Support

Support and advice for workers with disabilities and employers.

For Employers: https://dbei.gov.ie/en/News-And-Events/Department- News/2016/February/02022016a.html

Housing

General help on housing issues from Threshold.

Personal Assistants

Contact your local Centre for Independent Living for help and advice, full list here http://www.gcil.ie/cil-network.php

Sports