There is a crisis within a crisis for disabled people who are left homeless or in unsuitable accommodation and the proportion of those with a disability need on the housing list is rising year-on-year.

Disabled people make up 13.5% of the population but represent 27% of the homeless population. Over 2,400 disabled people continue to live in congregated settings and more than 1,300 people under the age of 65 are living in nursing homes.

That is despite the right to “to live in the community, with choices equal to others” being set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities which Ireland ratified in 2018.

A new National Housing Strategy for Disabled People was launched at the start of 2022 but advocacy organisations state that this needs to be sufficiently resourced for delivery.

HELP US INVESTIGATE

We want to conduct an in-depth investigation into the housing crisis facing disabled people by examining the difficulties faced in the private market as well as the accessibility and availability of social housing and emergency accommodation across the country.

We will also look at the personal assistance services provided by the HSE and speak to disabled people to find out if these are meeting their needs to live independently.

Finally, we want to meet with disabled people living in inappropriate accommodation, including nursing homes, to find out how their lives are impacted.

If you want to make a contribution to help this investigation happen, click the 'Fund This Proposal' button. Noteworthy investigations are sourced from and crowdfunded by the public.

You can contact us at [email protected] and find out how we work here.