Hussey says Time for Disabled to be ‘Counted In’
Speaking at an event organised by Disability Action in Cookstown, Ulster Unionist Party candidate for West Tyrone Derek Hussey thanked the organisation for ensuring that the voice of disabled people was being heard during this election campaign.
The event was one of seven held by Disability Action across Northern Ireland as part of the ‘Count Us In’ project enabling disabled people to speak directly to candidates.
In a statement, Mr Hussey said: “Ulster Unionists believe that the Northern Ireland Executive must take urgent and immediate steps to promote compliance with all aspects of the Disability Discrimination Act.
“We view this as being absolutely essential and hope that it works towards improving the basic human rights of Northern Ireland’s 300,000 people with disabilities.
“Ensuring equality for citizens with disability is necessary for any fair society. People experiencing a range of illnesses - including cancer, MS and mental illness - are now, at last, brought under the protection of the law. The delay in extending to people with disabilities in Northern Ireland the same rights and protection as elsewhere in the UK was totally unacceptable.
“But it is not all about government action and initiatives. When criminals target people with disabilities – when employers refuse to consider people with disabilities for employment – when members of the public on our streets or on our roads fail to respect people with disabilities: then we need attitudes to change. We need a new culture of respect for all, including people with disabilities.
“Alongside government initiatives, each of us need to exercise social responsibility within our communities. The Ulster Unionist Party knows that this places a heavy responsibility on ourselves and all political parties to lead by example. We are called not just to vote for legislation that improves life for those with disabilities. We also, as parties, have a social responsibility to ensure that we respect people with disabilities – as voters, as people with a voice, as people deserving our respect.”