Irish government often ignores disabled activists’ concerns and, despite their protests, approves budget cuts for an already underfunded sector. Their voices are excluded from the modern Irish lifestyle narratives because society fails to recognize disabled people as equal, productive members of the community. However, they contribute to society as much as others do, working as entrepreneurs, engineers, educators, and so forth. The budget cuts suggested by the government would push many people in need of assistance in nursing homes, meaning they would lose their independence and would not be able to keep their jobs.
Many people, including some politicians, believe that disabled activists fight for special privileges, while all they want is to enjoy the same rights and opportunities as other people do. For them, there is a clear dichotomy between care and assistance; the one most people fail to see. With little help, disabled individuals can enjoy simple things other people do, such as traveling to another city or going to a bar with friends. They do not need professional care round-the-clock, as many would presume.
The majority perceives disabled people as a group detached from society or, even worse, a burden. Some people do not realize that disabled individuals are not very different from them in their ambitions and desires. Essentially, they want to have a good job, be able to travel, have children, as others do. In order to succeed in their work, activists have to educate people and destroy stereotypes associated with disabilities. Only when a large proportion of the Irish population recognizes the fact that disabled people are full-fledged members of the community, the attitude towards them will start changing.