Budget 25: Disabled children left behind without long-term access to school, says advocacy group

Inclusion Ireland has said that while Budget ‘25 has brought short-term progress in education for disabled children, it is at “the detriment of long-term reform of a system which is failing them.”

Inclusion Ireland, a national, rights-based advocacy organisation that works to promote the rights of people with an intellectual disability, has been campaigning for a specific budget to develop a six-year inclusive education strategic plan which is Government-led, has cross Government support, and with the voices of disabled children, disabled persons and advocacy organisations at the centre.

The Government has chosen to do this recently with other initiatives such as the Autism strategy.

Earlier this year Inclusion Ireland asked 859 people with an intellectual disability, their families and supporters what they would like to see in Budget 2025.

• Only 6% of parents believe that schools are given every resource they need to support their child.
• 76% of parents said that the voice of their child isn’t heard or is only sometimes heard at school.
• 77% said that last year’s Budget announcement made no difference to the barriers experienced by some children in school.

Speaking in response to Budget ’25, Derval McDonagh, CEO of Inclusion Ireland, said: “Investing in a strategic plan means moving away from reactive, short-term fixes.

“This budget won’t cut the mustard when 74% of our parents are telling us their children need schools to be completely reformed.

“Children are struggling in school today to get the support they need, while families fight to get access to what should be basic rights for their child.

“We welcome additional investment in education and increases to disability allowances.

“However, for 7-year-old Chloe, one of our members who has faced so many barriers these past 23 schooldays and has yet to access her local school, this budget will make no difference to the next 157 days of the school term.

“The 45% of disabled children who face similar barriers need an inclusive system which supports them appropriately as they go to school with their siblings and neighbours.”

She added: “Long-term investment is not just the right thing for Government to do – it can also help alleviate some of the barriers people with an intellectual disability face later on in life; low employment rates, living in poverty, limited independent living options.”

 “Children need therapy in schools, reduced class sizes and CAMHS-intellectual disability teams to support their mental health before crisis point. We need a system in which adults are upskilled in rights-based, relationship-centred training.”

In its pre-Budget submission Inclusion Ireland also called for the establishment of a permanent cost of disability payment of €50 per week for disabled people, and an increase to the rate of the disability allowance by €86 per week to match the poverty threshold of €318.

In housing, Inclusion Ireland urged Government to support 300 people to move out of their family home into a home of their own, a minimum of 200 people to move out of institutional/congregated settings, and at least 100 people to move out of nursing homes.

Responding to the lack of resources provided to the disabled community in this year’s budget, Tomás Murphy, Inclusion Ireland self-advocate and Board Member, said “It is hard with all the costs going up: food, rent etc.

“We need more money and this year’s increase simply won’t be enough. Once again, we will only get once-off payments at certain times of the year like Christmas or Easter, but we need money all year round.  We want to live our lives as equals.”

Speaking about housing, Sarah Jane Lavin, Inclusion Ireland self-advocate and Board Member, added: “We need more money for personal assistance and to have personalised budgets so we can choose how we spend our money and live the life we want.

“Many people are still living with their families and are waiting many years to get their own place. I am not sure that this Budget will change that.”

Inclusion Ireland’s Budget 2025 submission is available to download here.