Students from the Directions Programme in the National Learning Network in Holyhill will protest in Dublin on Thursday to oppose the cancellation of a vital disability allowance. Photo: Mick Nugent/Twitter

Allowance axe ‘targets most vulnerable’

Students protesting against the cancellation of a special allowance described as a “vital lifeline” to those with disabilities have hit out at the decision to cut the payment from September.

The Save the Training Bonus group in Cork will join hundreds in demonstrating at the Dáil today, Thursday, to protest the decision to cancel the rehabilitative training (RT) allowance, which allows young school leavers to take up training programmes.

The allowance, worth €13.80 per week, is aimed at those with disabilities who undertake HSE-funded training courses for up to four years to prepare them for employment, enhance career prospects and improve social and communication skills.

But it was announced last month that the allowance would no longer be paid to new students in the courses from 1 September.

Nathan Kelleher, a 19 year old student in the Directions Programme at the National Learning Network in Holyhill since last September, said those who rely on the small allowance may now be forced to stay at home.

“Everyone who gets it is benefiting from it,” he told the Cork Independent.

“With things like the costs of the new children’s hospital rocketing over budget, we are facing the consequences to make up for it, it’s targeting the most vulnerable.”

Nathan said the numbers of school leavers and others undertaking the programmes nationwide was currently over 2,400 people, but would “drop dramatically” if the cuts were introduced.

“A lot of the new students won’t be able to take part in a lot of the activities, they’ll have to ask their parents for money and they mightn’t have it. It means they might lose that outlet of getting out of the house for those few hours.”

A group of about 25 students from the Holyhill programme will join hundreds of protesters to voice their criticism at Leinster House this Thursday at 12.30pm.

Stacey Bermingham, a rehabilitative training coordinator with the Holyhill programme, said no explanation had been given for the cuts.

“At the moment they’re saying people already in the courses won’t be affected, but there is no guarantee on that,” she said.

“For a lot of our students, especially those on the autism spectrum, a lot of what they want from the course is to learn how to socialise with their peers, make friends and how to get involved in their community.

“A lot of them wouldn’t be able to afford to do the trips, lunches, cinema trips etc without it.

“It’s 15 per cent of their weekly income to encourage them to find work or return to education, so it makes a big difference. They’ll still be expected to get involved in these courses and pay out of their own pocket."

Director of Communications, Public Affairs and Fundraising with Rehab Group, Kathleen O’Meara, said the payment was “a vital lifeline to those who need specialist supports to access further education or to enter the workforce”.

A spokesperson for the HSE said those currently receiving the RT allowance would continue to do so until they finish their programme.

It said discontinuing the payment would “yield €3.7 million over a four year period, and this funding will be reinvested in disability day services”.

It said the savings would be used to “enhance part time day service placements to full time placements or to provide a day service for people that acquire a disability and are not eligible to receive funding allocated for school leaver day services each year”.