<p>
	The majority of people who receive a disability allowance believe mental health is the issue that affects them the most &mdash; ahead of any mobility or physical issue.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The survey of 3,000 recipients, conducted by the Department of Social Protection, also highlights fears of losing their medical card or social welfare benefits if they get a job, and also obstacles to entering education or the labour market.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Joan O&rsquo;Donnell, development officer with the Disability Federation of Ireland, said the survey gave &ldquo;a unique insight into just how much people with disabilities have been left behind in Irish society&rdquo;.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The survey was conducted after the department&rsquo;s statistics unit took a random sample of 12,007 people in receipt of the payment as of August last year and issued each person with a survey pack. It had 3,198 responses &mdash; a 27% response rate.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The results show:</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
	<li>
		Those longest in receipt of disability allowance are less likely to express an interest in either part-time or full-time work;</li>
	<li>
		Almost a third (31%) said they had never worked;</li>
	<li>
		56% said that they had previously worked either part-time or full-time;</li>
	<li>
		13% said they were currently working.</li>
</ul>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Of those currently working or with past work experience, 37% said it was in community, voluntary or &lsquo;occasional&rsquo; work, while 63% said it had been in paid employment or self-employment.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	The survey also showed that when it comes to educational achievement, &ldquo;only a minority of recipients reported educational attainment beyond junior secondary education or special school&rdquo;, with fewer than 10% having a degree and just 2% having a post-graduate qualification.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	While 13% said they were attending an education or training course, 67% said it was more than five years since they last took part in education or training. And while 44% said they were not interested in education or training, 56% said they were interested or a little interested in doing so.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	When asked to rank the health issues that affect them, 50% said mental health issues, while 49% said mobility issues. Just over 30% said it was intellectual disability and more than 20% said it was heart and breathing problems. When it came to difficulty with everyday tasks, 83% said they had moderate or severe difficulty in completing, or being unable to complete, everyday tasks. Three-quarters of respondents said their disability affects them all the time.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	Regarding what supports are important in helping them achieve their employment ambitions and goals, the medical card was the most often mentioned support, cited by 64% of respondents, with family, mentioned by 59% of respondents, in second place.</p>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>
<p>
	(Published by the Irish Examiner on the 14th November 2016)</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/mental-health-biggest-issue-for-disability-pay-recipients-430448.html?google_editors_picks=true">http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/mental-health-biggest-issue-for-disability-pay-recipients-430448.html?google_editors_picks=true</a></p>
