This is an absolute disgrace. Ireland currently has one of the worst disability employment records in the entire EU, with less than half of working-age people with disabilities holding jobs. People with disabilities and neurodivergent individuals have just as much talent, capability, and value to offer as anyone else. Shutting them out of the workforce due to fear is nothing short of discrimination. A new survey of 150 employers conducted by Now Group highlights the systemic barriers candidates face: Fewer than 1 in 10 employers report feeling "very confident" about hiring neurodivergent people or individuals with disabilities. More than 50% of employers feel only "a little" or "not at all" equipped to recruit and support neurodivergent employees and workers with disabilities. 85% of autistic people are currently unemployed or underemployed, according to figures from AsIAm. 25% of employers cite fear of being "insensitive," while almost 20% say they wouldn't know how to provide basic workplace accommodations. Fear of "getting it wrong" or finding support needs "overwhelming" cannot remain an acceptable excuse to deny people their livelihood. Businesses need talent, yet thousands of capable individuals are left struggling just to get a fair shot. It is time for employers to stop letting fear dictate hiring practices, dismantle this discrimination, and actively open their doors. #DisabilityRights# #InclusionMatters# #Neurodiversity# #EqualOpportunities# #IrelandJobs# #WorkplaceInclusion#

Huge congratulations and thanks to John Moore for developing this valuable platform. From securing school places to understanding your legal rights, offers step-by-step guidance, the latest news, events, and practical tools to help you navigate the world of disability. 🔗 Visit: #DisabilityRights# #DisabilitySupport# #Accessibility# #Inclusion#

Every single day, we watch taxpayer money poured down the drain on bureaucratic waste, administrative bloat, and ill-conceived projects. Yet, when it comes the lives and independence of just 200 Irish citizens suffering from Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), suddenly the state "cannot afford it." Friedreich’s ataxia strips away the ability to walk, speak, eat, see, and hear. It does not pause for bureaucracy. Over 740 days have passed since the evaluation process began, and every single day of delay means another ability lost forever. Skyclarys is the first and only approved treatment in the world proven to slow down this heartbreaking progression. The HSE Drugs Group recently recommended against funding it, leaving patients and their families in complete agony as they wait for the final HSE decision on August 25th. As Aoife Gavan (21) said: “Our lives are worth more than that.” 📢 How to Show Your Support & Demand Action Join the Protest: When: Sunday, August 23rd at 12:00 PM Where: Starting at the Garden of Remembrance (Dublin) and marching to Custom House Quay. Contact Your Local TDs Today: Before the HSE leadership team makes their final decision on August 25th, email and call your local representatives. Tell them that basic human dignity and life-altering healthcare must take priority over government bureaucracy. Our citizens shouldn't have to march on the streets just to fight for the right to hold on to their basic bodily functions. Lives are not line items on a spreadsheet. #GovtWaste# #Skyclarys# #FriedreichsAtaxia# #FA#

This is 79-year-old Robert Thompson from Bray. Robert is completely blind, but until recently, he has managed to live a highly independent life with the help of his brilliant guide dog, Rhona. But right now, Wicklow County Council is failing him, and the entire visually impaired community. For years, the audible signals at pedestrian crossings across Bray have been faulty. Recently, things have gone from bad to worse. The critical audio signals that tell Robert where the crossing pole is (the "wait" sound) and when it is actually safe to cross (the "go" sound) have stopped working entirely on busy routes near his home. "There’s no way I would cross that road without the sound," Robert says. "It’s just too dangerous." To make matters worse, recent changes to the local Dublin bus network (replacing the old 145 route with the E1 spine) mean his usual handy bus stops are gone. Because the council has left the nearby pedestrian signals broken, Robert can no longer cross the street safely at his local stop. Robert is now forced to get off the bus early and walk a massive, grueling 1.5 kilometers EACH WAY along a highly dangerous, busy stretch of road just to find a single working crossing. Robert has contacted Wicklow County Council repeatedly. They have acknowledged his complaints, but they have met him with absolute silence regarding any actual repairs. Basic mobility and safety should be a right, not a luxury. By ignoring these broken signals for years, the council is effectively trapping vulnerable residents in their own towns and actively stripping away their independence. Please SHARE this post! Let’s get the word out and force Wicklow County Council to do their job, fix the audio signals in Bray, and restore safety and freedom to Robert and others who rely on them! #WicklowCountyCouncil# #AccessibilityMatters# #Bray# #Inclusion# #GuideDogsIreland# #RobertThompson#