I have aspergers (mild) dyslexia (under control after years of extra help and study) and dyspraxia ( I’m all thumbs). I work hard to earna decent wage and volunteer on my time off. Having a disability does not automatically make you less able and in recent years autism is being driven by some as having a ‘different’ ability as opposed to being the same as everyone else.
A friend of mine has discalcula (difficulty with numbers) and works in logistics, a numbers heavy environment.
As for benefit, I don’t want it. I’m not (in my opinion, although others may disagree) impaired enough to require it, and while free money sounds great, I’d feel I’m letting the side down when others who are far worse then I can hold a good job with good wages.
All in all with 23% with a learning difference (not difficulty, we just need to learn in other ways) I don’t feel so alone or unique, but it means that we can gain the support for all disabilities and make ourselves mostly productive.
Remember we are people too, and when in doubt just listen to Lady Gaga Born this way for a bit of a lift.

Any explanation of the fact that the fact that Limerick has almost twice the disabled percentage compared to Fingal & Meath?

Surely worthy of further investigation

not very PC, but it angers me to see drug addicts on disability! getting free travel and causing mayhem on the bus and every other public service.
i know the do gooders will come out and say they suffer mental illness, they have had a tough life…
when i know genuine people, with severe depression and crippling illnesses, who have worked and paid taxes being denied the payment, who WANT to be better and dont want to depend on it…but because they dont shout loud enough they are ignored

I think a lot of people (not all) play up on an illness to claim disability welfare, so they can stay on it long term.

We all know someone that is pulling this kind if scam.

I often see people getting the bus who can walk, talk, appear fully able bodied and seem to be able to drink beer at all hours of the day yet they get on the bus for free with a flash of a card! Just saying.

“Limerick has the highest rate of disability with 18.2 per cent of persons disabled followed by WORK with 17.7 per cent of the population disabled”. Should that 18.2 per cent work with a disability?

some disabilities are “invisible” for example autism etc

I find it very hard to take anything from the census seriously these days after 84% of the population claimed to be Catholics and 1.77 million claimed to be able to speak the Irish language in 2011.

With that being said, like all welfare offered by the state, disability welfare is another victim of widespread abuse. It seems a lot of people who claim disability are able to do every single other thing in life apart from a day’s work, and there’s more than enough doctors here only too happy to certify them for the welfare offices. Those who abuse this are not only robbing the taxpayer but robbing genuinely disabled people of the credibility and sympathy they deserve.

One in eight people is an outstanding statistic

@Ann – again some people pull the mental illness scam to go long term welfare , but at the same time there are a lot of people who are genuine and need it.

I know people who gave pulled this scam, most doctors / welfare workers wont challenge it because its a hot potato topic and con artists are well aware of it.

they should cut drug addicts off and it may save enough to prevent cuts to the vunerable. disability allowance only allows people to buy and travel to buy drugs

I find these numbers mind boggling.

My knees are sore from sport, does that make me disabled?

For those with mental health issues (Figure 19 above) there was a lot of discussion about the need to change the Mental Health Act yesterday because of a specific tragedy that happened in Cork 2 years ago. Good article in the Irish Times today “Resources, not new laws, needed in mental health” http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/1101/1224325980300.html

Some of the medication dished out by doctors and Psychiatrists for mental health issues can be quite disabling eg “anti-psychotics” or “mood stabilisers” which have a very sedating effect. Especially if they are over prescribed. And a certain % of people who are put on “anti-depressants” go on to develop more serious mental health issues because of the medication ie Bipolar disorder/Manic Depression.

The current approach to mental health in the Western world is serious flawed. A more Psychosocial approach is needed, where people in emotional distress get therapy and advice and can go back to being productive members of society. I am referring to some people, as every individual is different. But the current system revolves around the medical model ie drugs. The one area of our mental health system that is good is Occupational Therapy (OT).

Young children are been put on Ritalin which has similar chemical properties to cocaine.
While the parent and teachers may see short term benefits, long term the child’s mental health is been
put at risk.

Someone that has done a lot of research in this field is Robert Whitaker, author of “Anatomy of an Epidemic”. http://robertwhitaker.org/robertwhitaker.org/Anatomy%20of%20an%20Epidemic.html

The 41% “Difficulty with basic physical activities” are chancing bastaads, i’m sure the rest are mostly genuine!

Somehow I think Fingal’s low disability rate is because they tell you “sure there’s no point, you won’t get it.”

Your dead right. I personally know plenty of lazy shits who have never worked a day in their life and never will. And they boast how all they had to do was pretend to have ADHD to get the extra money. Sickens me……….. Hmmm maybe I have a disability. Show me the easy money

I am deaf man…..Where Irish Sign Language ?

It is a well known fact that one in seven or 14% of the population suffer from acute hearing loss ie are “hard of hearing”. This statistic not only applies to Ireland but generally throughout Europe. The term “disabled” can be applied to this group.
This would seem to conflict with the statistics cited in this article as it is not clear as to the types of disability covered by the stats. unless they all suffer from hearing loss!
Equally hearing loss is “invisible” insofar as one cannot be easily identified as being deaf or partially deaf or indeed hard of hearing. The obvious comparison is with those with impaired sight who choose to use a white cane for assistance.
For example interaction with public services can be challenging eg a bus journey as communication is limited by the extent of background noise generated by the engines road noise etc. Equally I do not know of free bus passes being available to those classified as disabled. To qualify for free bus pass one has to be classified as an “Invalid” within the terms of reference applied by Welfare.