Disabilities Dún Laoghaire Rathdown

Freedom Scooters wish to highlight the level of disabilities in each County, today we are looking at Disabilities Dún Laoghaire Rathdown. This is most poignant since the Budget will be in early October. 

21% of the population, or 49,999 people, have at least one disability

22,776 males, and 27,223 females have at least one disability

Age Breakdown

3,344 people 0-14 years old

6,244 people 15-24 years old

10,443 people 25-44 years old

11,740 people 44-65 years old

18.228 people over 65

Type of Disability

18,600 people have difficulty with pain, breathing or any other chronic illness or condition

13,868 people have difficulty with basic physical activities

12,529 people have a psychological or emotional condition or a mental health issue

13,018 people have blindness or a vision impairment

11,260 people have Deafness or a hearing impairment

11,534 people have difficulty with learning, remembering or concentrating

3,764 people have an intellectual disability

Disability Federation of Ireland

Disabled people are:

• Four times more likely to live in consistent poverty
• Spending up to 93% of disposable income on extra disability-related costs
• Facing long waits with over 8,000 children have been waiting more than 12 months for initial contact after applying for an assessment of need
• Still forced into nursing homes due to a lack of appropriate housing and supports.

What needs to change

DFI is calling for clear, targeted investment backed by transparency, equality-proofing, and lived experience. Budget 2026 must not repeat the mistakes of the past, it must show that the State is ready to act.