An Overview: Disability rights and policy in Ireland and the EU

Disability is a natural part of the human life span. Yet, disabled people in the EU and Ireland face widespread discrimination and inequality when accessing employment, education, and political participation resulting in poorer life outcomes. In recent years, the EU and Ireland have introduced major policy initiatives, strategies, and measures to create a more inclusive environment for all citizens. Beyond the economic argument, there are significant social, cultural, and moral benefits to the inclusion of disabled people in all aspects of mainstream society.

This paper provides an introduction to disability policy in Ireland and across the EU, with a focus on the contribution that engagement in higher education can have in supporting political participation and participation in decision-making among persons with disabilities. It presents an assessment of language, the models of disability and ableism, policies being implemented to improve the lives of disabled people in the EU and Ireland, education, and the public and political participation of people with disabilities. The paper concludes by considering how policymakers can include disabled people in decisions that concern them.

Dr Vivian Rath is a disabled person, an award-winning human rights advocate, a Research and Policy Officer with AHEAD and an Adjunct Teaching Fellow in Trinity College Dublin. He is an appointee to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Disability Advisory Committee, and the Board of the National Disability Authority.