The €12 increase in disability and carers allowance announced in Budget 2024 has been described as "a disturbing blow to human rights" by Inclusion Ireland.
The charity's chief executive Derval McDonagh said the budget abandoned disabled people living well below the poverty line.
Inclusion Ireland has been campaigning for the disability allowance to match the poverty threshold of €291.50, and proposed a permanent cost of disability payment.
"The Covid pandemic has highlighted the important role Ireland’s social protection system can play in protecting people from poverty. However, the considerable gap between the €350 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and the current rate of €232 for the disability allowance sends a clear signal that disabled people are not seen as equals to other Irish citizens", said Ms McDonagh.
"The cost of disability, coupled with an epic failure to provide therapeutic support is pushing many families into financial despair. These are depleted people with intellectual disabilities and their families fighting, hounding, begging to access the same opportunities as everyone else.
"Children with intellectual disabilities living their lives in poverty as their families fight daily battles to get access to the basic income and therapeutic support their child needs to live a full and healthy life."
