Email politicans to #AllowUsLearn

The Disability Federation of Ireland, DFI, joined in a campaign, #AllowUsLearn, to reverse the decision to axe the Rehabilitative Training Allowance to students with disabilities.

Our Head of Policy, Dr. Joanne McCarthy has described the cut as “seriously regressive. 24% of people with disabilities live in poverty, taking €31.80 a week from these students goes against the Government’s stated intention to increase employment”.

In a letter from DFI, Rehab, Aontas, Irish Wheelchair Association, IWA, and the Central Remedial Clinic, CRC we said;

“Many students with disabilities will never sit the Leaving Cert, nor receive a CAO offer. Instead they can join HSE rehabilitative training, RT, courses, which identify, strengthen and enhance their abilities in environments where their specific learning needs are understood.

These students won’t receive a SUSI grant, but up until September 1st this year new entrants to these courses received the RT allowance of €31.80 per week.

In July the HSE announced that new entrants would no longer receive the allowance. We are demanding this decision is reversed.”

The HSE, Health Service Executive, has said the money will be reinvested in disability services. We, with our partners, believe this is robbing Peter to pay Paul and makes no sense.

We are calling on the Minister for Health and the Government to reverse this cruel cut. If you agree you can contact local TDs and Senators by clicking here