Disabilities Cork City

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

24% of the population, or 52,964 people, have at least one disability

24,928 males, and 28,036 females have at least one disability

Age Breakdown

4,035 people 0-14 years

6,669 people 15-24 years

12,505 people 25-44 years

13,896 people 44-65 years

15,859 people over 65

Type of Disability

20,720 people have difficulty with pain, breathing or any other chronic illness or condition

16,815 people have difficulty with basic physical activities

14,404 people have a psychological or emotional condition or a mental health issue

14,109 people have blindness or a vision impairment

10,657 people have Deafness or a hearing impairment

12,405 people have difficulty with learning, remembering or concentrating

5,407 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.