GE24 Invest in Inclusion

ILMI Doorstep briefing for Election Candidates 2024

This doorstep briefing is designed to empower us as disabled people across Ireland to confidently engage with our election candidates. Often, when a candidate asks for our priorities, it’s easy to ask for more services without realising that what we really need are rights-based changes that can transform our lives.

By asking specific, simple questions, we can push for commitments that support real change, not just superficial fixes. These questions will help you highlight key issues in a way that election candidates will understand and, most importantly, that can lead to tangible improvements for all disabled people.

Questions for Election Candidates

1. How will you make sure that disabled people are consulted on decisions about our lives?

This question emphasises the principle of “nothing about us without us.” It’s important because for too long, decisions have been made without our input. Politicians must understand that Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs) are the ones who should be shaping policies affecting disabled people. By asking this, you’re ensuring they commit to involving us directly in policy-making.

2. What will you do to create more accessible housing for disabled people?

The housing crisis disproportionately affects disabled people. We’re more likely to live in unsuitable or unsafe housing, and many of us are trapped in residential settings when we could live independently with the right support. This question demands action to create accessible, affordable homes, so disabled people can have the freedom to live where and how we choose.

3. Will you commit to funding Personal Assistance Services (PAS) so we can live independently?

Personal Assistance Services (PAS) are crucial for disabled people to live full lives. Without them, many of us are forced to rely on family members for support, which limits our freedom. By asking this question, you’re ensuring the candidate commits to expanding PAS, which can liberate disabled people and their families.

4. How will you ensure that disabled people can access education and employment equally?

Education and employment are key to breaking the cycle of poverty and exclusion that so many disabled people face. This question encourages the candidate to commit to making schools and workplaces more inclusive, ensuring that disabled people have the same opportunities as everyone else.

5. What will you do to improve transport so disabled people can travel freely?

Without accessible transport, disabled people are cut off from society. This question asks the candidate to prioritise investment in inclusive public transport and ensure that disabled people can travel without barriers, whether in urban or rural areas. It’s about ensuring we can participate in our communities equally. By asking these questions, you’re not just seeking promises, you’re helping to shape a future where disabled people have full control over our lives. Together, we can make our voices heard and push for real change.

Explainer

It’s so important that we, as disabled people, take this opportunity to stand together and make our voices heard during this election. By asking these specific questions, you’re not only representing yourself but also contributing to a collective push for real change. The questions outlined are based on ILMI’s “Invest in Inclusion” document, which outlines the urgent need for rights-based policies that address the root causes of inequality for disabled people. This isn’t just about securing services; it’s about making sure that our rights to live independently, access education and employment, and fully participate in society are at the forefront of political agendas.

When you speak to election candidates, you are doing more than just raising individual issues. You are contributing to a wider, unified effort to shift how society views disability and how politicians make decisions about our lives. “Invest in Inclusion” calls for long-term, sustainable solutions that challenge the barriers disabled people face every day-solutions like accessible housing, Personal Assistance Services, and inclusive transport. These are not privileges; they are basic rights. And by asking these questions, you’re holding candidates accountable for making sure these rights are a priority.

We know that change doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen without collective action. When candidates hear these questions from multiple disabled people across Ireland, they will see that these are not isolated concerns but part of a national demand for equality and inclusion. By standing together and raising these questions, we send a powerful message: disabled people are not passive recipients of charity or services, but active agents of change, and we expect our rights to be respected.

The importance of standing together cannot be overstated. Disabled people have historically been marginalised in political discussions, and now is the time to shift that dynamic. We must make sure that our voices are central to the decision-making process, especially when it comes to policies that impact us directly.

When we ask these questions, we’re not just asking for more support, we’re asking for control over our lives and the right to participate fully in society.

So, when you meet with election candidates or attend local hustings, don’t be afraid to ask these questions. Encourage others in your community to do the same. It’s time for all of us to invest in inclusion, demand our rights, and shape a future where disabled people are recognised as equal members of society. Together, we have the power to make a real difference.