Death Panel Politics, Disability and Lisbon
Posted by Maman Poulet on 27 Sep 2009 at 12:37 pm | Tagged as: Abortion, Disability, Equality, European Union, Irish Politics, Lisbon
While I was on holidays a work colleague texted me to say she had been canvassed by Cóir. The canvasser told her that if Lisbon was passed that she would be put down like a dog. My colleague has cerebral palsy. She didn’t argue back and managed to move away. I was shocked but not really surprised that the campaign had taken this course. People with disabilities have been targeted by Cóir and Youth Defence campaigners before in abortion campaigns telling us our right to life would be affected if Abortion was permitted but not able (not wanting) to talk about our lives and the rights we need to live them.
Living in Dublin City Centre it’s not difficult to find Cóir on the ground so I knew I would be able to try to explore it further – whether I got any answers would be another thing!.
So at the GPO yesterday it was not difficult to get a word with Brian T. Hickey a principle spokesman from Cóir. He said that the canvasser should not have said tha tabout being put down but that it was possible that Euthanasia would be introduced because 2 EU countries have it and the European Court could rule that Ireland should have it too. He scrambled a bit as he introduced what I call the Cóir question mark – it might happen because Cóir say it might even if everyone else says it won’t. Further questioned Hickey could not speak to the specific parts of the Lisbon Treaty that protect people with disabilities. I was then approached by another Cóir campaigner who overheard me to say that I was lucky to be alive because the HSE were bringing doctors over to train doctors and nurses here in Euthanasia. As another Cóir campaigner tried to put a sticker on my mobility scooter I backed away and revved up and took off as fast as I could.
On the basis of this and earlier rubbish about how the Treaty will lock up people with mental health conditions or intellectual disabilities I think we can say that ‘Sarah Palin Death panel‘ politics have arrived in Ireland. Now I can hear my regular commenter Steve White and others saying already to stop criticising Cóir and talk about the treaty – so I will. I don’t believe the EU is going to be killing off disabled people anytime soon.
Upon closer examination the Lisbon Treaty is very positive from a disability perspective. Specific references are made in the first article to respect of human dignity, human rights and equality and non-discrimination. Consultation with disabled people becomes enshrined in all processes – participatory democracy means that civil society and representative organisations will be consulted in all aspects of EU action. (Aside – It therefore is very important for organisations of disabled people to ensure that they are consulted rather than solely the organisations for people with disabilities and organisations which exist to provide services for people with disabilities.)
Mainstreaming of all areas of EU policy (Article 10) will include examination of the effects on people with disabilities. (This exists for gender mainstreaming for some years already.)
In 2007 people with disabilities campaigned to sign 1 million signatures to call for the EU to broaden it’s anti-discrimination legislation and policy remit to specifically name people with disabilities. This campaign has influenced the development of the Citizens Initiative which means that other issues can be campaigned for by citizens (One million signatories) and can lead to the Commission bringing forward legislation if within the scope of the EU.
In the Charter for Fundamental Rights (the one that Cóir fear so much and some on the Yes and No sides say means not a lot and others say it means so much) we see Article 26 – Integration of persons with disabilities
The Union recognises and respects the right of persons with disabilities to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence, social and occupational integration and participation in the life of the community.
So there we are empowerment, independence, with an added dose of ‘nothing about us without us’. Why are Cóir so afraid it? Or Article 25 which protects older peoples rights to participate in society? The reality is that Cóir and other anti treaty groups don’t want protection of the rights of anyone by the European Union and it’s institutions.
I’d be ecstatic if there really was a debate about people with disabilities and the way we are protected or not in Irish society and in the European Union. Instead we continue to be patronised and manipulated and ignored. There is no disability movement to debate or lead calls for change and political parties use the language of oppression and care and cost to control our lives.
The arrival of the politics of the death panel to use disability and fear of being killed because of Lisbon is therefore unsurprising in the void that has been created in denying people with disabilities respect, autonomy and dignity. Something that Cóir would like to wish to continue because fundamentally they are against the rights of the individual in any sphere.
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[...] on how Cóir are telling people how they’d be put down by Europe like dogs if Lisbon passes. It’s incredibly important to read the dirt that Cóir is spouting. [...]
[...] blog – there is little hint of the style of campaigning we see on the ground. As Suzy writes in her excellent post over at Maman Poulet, the politics of the death panel has arrived. From [...]
Very well written post, I can’t say that I am suprised or shocked about your experience, it has been my experience of the Cóir, Youth Defence, John Paul II Society [you can choose what name they are this month to fit the purpose] that those foot soldiers on the ground are trained and encouraged to act in this manner. Of course this means that the higher up ’spokespeople’ disown their acitions nor ever having encouraged them you will find that in most cases the most likely have.
I have nothing to do with COIR. But I care passionately about rights for people with disability and have campaigned hard on this issue. In doing so it has become painfully apparent that our government is ruthlessly determined to be as miserly as possible about provision for people with disability. This doesnt stop it from mawkish politicking on the back of the issue at every possible opportunity. It’s ’solutions’ to the issue are to rely on unpredictable corporate fundraising and carefully monitored and controlled volunteerism that doesn’t rock the boat. Can’t have a disability lobby that is anything other than grateful for charity.
Unfortunately the provisions of the Treaty in relation to REAL rights of any sort are meaningless. Unless or until clearly specified rights for people with disability are made legally enforceable – eg the automatic right to a timely assessment of needs with resources to follow the needs identified – the rest is pure guff. As it stands the law in Ireland, eg, is completely fenced in by the principles of ‘ministerial discretion’ and ‘available resources’ both of which are used to severely restrict services for people with disability. The legislation which lays this down is impressivley larded with the word ‘rights’ and is full of grand, encouraging claims but NOWHERE ever grants a single enforceable right, nevertheless. This is quite deliberate and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Increasingly challenges are made by parents to secure services for chilren, eg, under the provisions of the constitution but that avenue too is in danger of being closed off, ironically under the guise of amending the constitution behind a claim to enhance childrens’ rights! This is all in line with UN/EU policy by the way. The EU is as wary of the disability lobby as the Irish government is and spouts just as much bullshit about it. All it sees is a cost which has to be contained as much as possible.
The ugly truth about official attitudes to disability is that people are viewed through their ability to contribute economically. Generally speaking the greatest expenditure is on those who are more likely to be able to work, and the classification of people into intellectual, physical and sensory disability groups (though of course there can be overlap)reflects this thinking. I know of no plan or policy of any sort to introduce euthanasia as a solution to disability. I do know however of indifference, neglect and abuse on a scale that is practically tantamount to euthanasia – not just in Ireland but throughout the EU. The Lisbon Treaty will do nothing for the disability lobby and it is not intended that it should.
The Irish state have long been criticised for it’s failure to provide timely resources or treatment for many of the disadvantaged in our society, whether it be permanent, long term, or short term. Amnesty International in particular, is critical of the mental health provisions .. or rather, lack of them. I wonder what effect, if any, this treaty will have.
On a general note, I have yet to see ANY placards which actually say anything truthful about the treaty.
[...] Maman Poulet: While I was on holidays a work colleague texted me to say she had been canvassed by Cóir. The canvasser told her that if Lisbon was passed that she would be put down like a dog. My colleague has cerebral palsy. So at the GPO yesterday it was not difficult to get a word with Brian T. Hickey a principle spokesman from Cóir. He said that the canvasser should not have said that about being put down but that it was possible that Euthanasia would be introduced because 2 EU countries have it and the European Court could rule that Ireland should have it too. He scrambled a bit as he introduced what I call the Cóir question mark – it might happen because Cóir say it might even if everyone else says it won’t. Further questioned Hickey could not speak to the specific parts of the Lisbon Treaty that protect people with disabilities. [...]
[...] negative campaigns have a different genealogy and take a different form. This is most certainly the politics of the death panel and our voters are in the [...]
[...] An excellent post on Maman Poulet about Coir’s targetting of people with disabilities here. [...]