Since February 2014, the Dietary Allowance has been closed to new applicants, despite there being no medical or legal basis for this closure.

Joan Burton, the Minister for Welfare at the time (and the welfare minister's who have copy and pasted her false claims since) claimed that an INDI report that the Government commissioned in 2013 allegedly showed that disabled people could afford medical diets on 1/3 of welfare.

This report, which was deliberately commissioned by the Government, did not take into account at all, how disabled people could possibly exist - never mind afford endless medical needs - on the 2/3 of welfare that were left. 

The report also did not take into account, at all, other grocery costs for disabled persons such as sanitary items, i.e. shower and laundry items. 

A report that is 9 years old also has zero relevance today because inflation and Brexit have made the cost of living vastly more expensive.

Further, as the UNCRPD (the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) was ratified into law in Ireland in 4 years ago, the Dietary Allowance, which should never have been closed to new applicants, remaining closed is a direct violation of the law. Per Articles 25 and 28 of the UNCRPD:

"25(F) "Prevent discriminatory denial of health care or health services or food and fluids on the basis of disability."

28 "1. States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to an adequate standard of living for themselves and their families, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions, and shall take appropriate steps to safeguard and promote the realization of this right without discrimination on the basis of disability.

2. States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to social protection and to the enjoyment of that right without discrimination on the basis of disability, and shall take appropriate steps to safeguard and promote the realization of this right, including measures:

a) To ensure equal access by persons with disabilities to clean water services, and to ensure access to appropriate and affordable services, devices and other assistance for disability-related needs;"

Minister Humphrey's has gone to great lengths over the pandemic to provide prompt financial support to abled persons, for example the PUP. This should have been done, however disabled persons, who are existing in poverty and cannot pay for their medical needs, should also have the dignity of a Government who recognize that disabled persons are human beings as well. This is unfortunately not the case.

The Dietary Allowance has remained open to people who were already on it, however people who have become disabled since 2014 or who have become more disabled since 2014 and have been prescribed medical diets, cannot access it. As stated, there is no logical, legal or medical basis for it being closed to new applicants. 

This petition is for the Government to reopen the Dietary Allowance so that disabled persons with prescribed medical diets can be able to afford them, as they are vital to the medical care of disabled persons. 

All signatures are greatly appreciated, as the Government have not responded to facts, evidence, the law or to the medical needs of disabled human beings.