Disabilities Carlow

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

23% of the population, or 14,333 people, have at least one disability

6,896 males, and 7,437 females have at least one disability

Age Breakdown

1,314 number of people 0-14 years old

1,514 number of people 15-24 years old

2,992 number of people 25-44 years old

4,197 number of people 44-65 years old

4,316 number of people over 65

Type of Disability

6,019 people have difficulty with pain, breathing or any other chronic illness or condition

4,691 people have difficulty with basic physical activities

3,503 people have a psychological or emotional condition or a mental health issue

3,683 people have blindness or a vision impairment

2,847 people have Deafness or a hearing impairment

3,382 people have difficulty with learning, remembering or concentrating

1,437 people have an intellectual disability

Disabilities Wicklow

23% of the population, or 35,484 people, have at least one disability

17,081 males, and 18,403 females have at least one disability

Age Breakdown

3,519 people 0-14 years old

3,900 people 15-24 years old

7,367 people 25-44 years old

10,016 people 44-65 years old

10,682 people over 65

Type of Disability

14,092 people have difficulty with pain, breathing or any other chronic illness or condition

10,106 people have difficulty with basic physical activities

8,885 people have a psychological or emotional condition or a mental health issue

9,144 people have blindness or a vision impairment

7,190 people have Deafness or a hearing impairment

8,664 people have difficulty with learning, remembering or concentrating

3,595 people have an intellectual disability

The current reality as stated by the 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.