December 30th, 2015 was a landmark day for everyone with an intellectual disability in Ireland. President Michael D. Higgins signed into law the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013. This new legislation brings an end to the Lunacy Act, Marriage of Lunatics Act and will start the wind down of the Wards of Court system. The […]
Author: Allan Cuthbert
Disabled Passengers Scheme Expansion
January 2016, Minister Noonan announced an improvement in the scheme to acknowledging the expensive cost of adapted vehicles, given the extensive nature of the adaptations required. You can claim a number of different relief to buy a vehicle for the purpose of transporting your special needs child who holds a primary medical certification. This certification is carried […]
Most Commonly Asked Questions By Allan
2015 has been another very busy year for Dolores, David & I. We have hosted our Trust Planning Workshop to over 23 different charities around Ireland in the last 12-months. We have presented our workshop to around 700 parents. Firstly, I’d like to express, A big thank you to all the wonderful parents I meet […]
Budget 2016 & Special Needs
I am glad to write this article on the Budget 2016 as my last few budget articles made for depressing reading. The first thing of substantial note for Carers is the Respite Care Grant which has now been restored to pre-recession levels. From €1,375 back to €1,700. This is a welcome reversal of policy and […]
HSE Charges
There are several types of HSE charges and that will depend on your circumstances and what service from the HSE you use. I have listed below the most common charges. Out-patient and Accident & Emergency Charges If you attend the out-patients department or A+E of a public hospital, you may be charged a standard fee […]
Special-needs education shouldn’t be a lottery – By Lorraine Dempsey
Lorraine Dempsey chairs both the Special Needs Parents Association and Inclusion Ireland’s education committee. She has a daughter with special needs Opinion: We need a tailored system of additional teaching support based on educational needs and not whether a child has a particular diagnosis. Change is coming in the world of special education. For the […]
Domiciliary Care Allowance FAQ
What is Domiciliary Care Allowance? Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment of €309.50 per month by the Department of Social Protection to a Carer who proves that their child needs a greater degree of care in comparison to a child of a similar age. In recent times, this allowance is getting harder to get […]
Working & Disability Allowance- By Allan
It has raised my spirit in recent times to see how Coronation Street has cast, Liam Bairstow, to play Cathy Matthews’ nephew Alex. As far as my limited soap trivia knowledge goes, I believe Liam is the first ever actor with Down’s Syndrome to be cast in a main role on TV (I hope I’m […]
Down Syndrome Man Is Now a Sworn-In Reserve Officer by Rachel Kassenbrock
Sam Hesla was sworn in as a reserve officer, KSTP News reported. Hesla, 24, is one of the first reserve officers with Down syndrome to serve in the country, according to the outlet. Before earning his title, Hesla completed 12 weeks of training in which he mastered skills like radio communication, CPR and traffic directing. […]