People with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families to question new Disability Minister at Inclusion Ireland AGM

Inclusion Ireland’s 50th AGM & Annual Conference opens this evening (6pm Friday 15th April) in Galway. Minister Kathleen Lynch, the newly appointed Minister for Disability will address the audience of people with intellectual disabilities and their families before taking part in a debate chaired by RTÉ’s Sean O’Rourke when delegates will question Minister Lynch and representatives from all political parties on their disability policies and plans.

Fianna Fail Leader Micheál Martin will sit on the panel with Minister Lynch.

They will be joined by Sinn Féin’s Michael Colreavy TD and Fine Gael’s Sean Kyne TD. They will be quizzed on issues including cuts to education supports for children with disabilities and cuts in Disability Allowance and Carer’s Allowance.

Inclusion Ireland Chairperson Frieda Finlay will tell delegates that 50 years on from the foundation of Inclusion Ireland, people with intellectual disabilities must be accepted by Government and society as full and equal citizens of Ireland:

 “we have to finally accept that people with an intellectual disability aren't patients. They're not clients, or service-users. They are citizens. Full and equal citizens of Ireland. That is what our fifty years of history means to us.”

The conference continues tomorrow (Saturday 16th April). Highlights tomorrow include speeches from Economist Jim Power on the future of disability services; Christine Lenihan OBE from the UK Council for Disabled Children on inclusion for children with disabilities; and Prof. Roy McConkey on ‘community inclusion – no more excuses’.

ENDS