Disabilities Galway City

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

22% of the population, or 18,715 number of people, have at least one disability

8,565 males, and 10,150 females have at least one disability

Age Breakdown

1,231 people 0-14 years old

3,615 people 15-24 years old

4,991 people 25-44 years old

4,313 people 44-65 years old

4,565 people over 65

Type of Disability

6,899 people have difficulty with pain, breathing or any other chronic illness or condition

4,923 people have difficulty with basic physical activities

5,797 people have a psychological or emotional condition or a mental health issue

5,373 people have blindness or a vision impairment

3,225 people have Deafness or a hearing impairment

4,250 people have difficulty with learning, remembering or concentrating

1,574 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