Disabilities Cork County

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

21% of the population, or 75,625 number of people, have at least one disability

36,800 males, and 38,825 females have at least one disability

Age Breakdown

7,781 people 0-14 years old

7,321 people 15-24 years old

14,690 people 25-44 years old

21,702 people 44-65

24,131 people over 65

Type of Disability

28,974 people have difficulty with pain, breathing or any other chronic illness or condition

23,789 people have difficulty with basic physical activities

17,039 people have a psychological or emotional condition or a mental health issue

19,446 people have blindness or a vision impairment

16,867 people have Deafness or a hearing impairment

18,048 people have difficulty with learning, remembering or concentrating

7,710 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.