Only 182 words of the budget presented yesterday evening were dedicated to disability, the Equal Partners Foundation said.

It said it was extremely disappointed in the provision for persons with the minister referring solely to ‘measures intended to help persons with mobility problems’, reinforcing the view that disability is a problem of ramps and wheelchairs, and not one of facilitating access to society, work and independence.

There were no measures to combat poverty and social exclusion, to strengthen vocational training, to promote the employment of persons with disability.

Equal Partners said it remained one of the voluntary organisations which received meagre financial support from the government (€20,000 in 2010), from which it had to pay €3,600 in rent for a small property leased from the government.

The government’s policy, it said, meant that its 300 plus members with intellectual disabilities and learning impairments were continue to be discriminated against.

State support, the foundation said, had to increase and it had to follow the person with disability throughout his life.

“We believe that that it is ludicrous to hope that anyone can subsist on 60 per cent of the minimum wage, as persons with disability person are expected to.”

These people, together with their supporting carers and parents, had again become poorer, Equal Partners said.