Disabled children’s allowance not substantial enough, says AD

Green party Alternattiva Demokratika has expressed agreement with Budget 2014 measures for disabled persons who start working and retain their pensions before they are gradually tapered off.

But the party has suggested that rather than using the same system for everyone, disabled persons with additional impairment-related costs should their pension or part of it.

"The Guardianship Board is also a positive development although it is imperative that in line with Article 12 of the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disability, which underlines equal recognition before the law, the Guardianship Board's decisions favour supported decision making not substitute decision making," AD spokesperson Claire Azzopardi Lane said.

"AD finds that the increase in the special children's allowance given in addition to the children's allowance to parents of children with disability, not extensive enough. The allowance was raised from €16.31 to €20 a week, which is certainly not a substantial increase given the expenses incurred by the families of these children.

"Although there has been a increase in state service essentially in education, given the cost of resources such as mobility equipment, educational resources and related services, parents are still faced with expenses that are beyond their reach," Azzopardi Lane said.

"Resorting to charity organizations and such schemes is seen as undignified, and extensive state funding rather than charity should be made available. Furthermore this budget did not provide people with disability with an increase in the disability pension, which is still a miserly 55% of the minimum wage."