Today we celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities with a sense of pride, secure in the knowledge that the process of active participation in our society of persons with disabilities and their inclusion has switched to full throttle during the past few years.
We are aware there are still burdens and prejudices we still have to overcome but the achievements in the Maltese disability sector have been many since the change of government in 2013. We therefore face the challenges with great confidence.
Resting on our laurels is certainly not an option, especially since we know that access into mainstream society by persons with disabilities still has obstacles. What has been achieved is thanks mainly to our agencies and professionals in the sector, the voluntary organisations and the persons with disabilities themselves and their families/guardians.
As a nation we need to do more. Inclusion is our byword as we continue to introduce reforms and laws which will help tackle the obstacles that remain or that may crop up as a result of unforeseen situations like COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine.
The decision-making processes across Maltese society need to have the active participation of persons with disabilities “in their full diversity and their full inclusion”, as the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres so aptly put it.
As a government, we have chosen to take action, rather than offering lip service, by way of ensuring that persons with disabilities genuinely feel they belong to a just society. Their inclusion will continue to be a priority in every sector of our economy as we shift our focus from mere social protection to resolute social investment, activation and work-related welfare reforms.
We do so without separating the state from other stakeholders, including the families of persons with disabilities and dedicated NGOs in providing and sharing ideas, proposals and constructive criticism.
Today’s special celebration is not meant to merely remember the past but to look forward to reaching new heights. By respecting diversity and protecting equality, we are delivering inclusion. Special days serve as an adequate catapult for societies around the world to make inclusion a target, something Malta has already done and is resolute to continue doing whenever and wherever the needs arise.
Maltese society is the outright winner- Julia Farrugia Portelli
This year’s budget has had a massive bearing on the lives of persons who need support and assistance on the way to social inclusion, equality and a better quality of life. The budget for next year will go even further and is based on the cradle-to-grave philosophy of an evolving welfare state.
At a time when the world is witnessing a situation where governments are bolstering plans to cut social spending and introduce more taxes, Budget 2023 will enable Maltese citizens and persons with disabilities to plan for the future through zero new taxes and increases in salaries, pensions, specific grants and support schemes.
The new year will see carers to children with disabilities getting a grant increase from €500 to €4,500 annually; €4.2 million in providing personal assistance to persons with disabilities; an annual €200 tax credit for every disabled child in the family; a 20 per cent subsidy on the purchases of new vehicles or second-hand ones for wheelchair-bound persons; and a 10 per cent subsidy for the purchase of modified second-hand cars.
I was recently given a demonstration of a special car in Italy, ordered by Aġenzija Sapport, for use by wheelchair-bound persons. This €80,000 investment also involved Aġenzija Sapport employees who travelled to the UK for training which will teach persons with disabilities to use it.
Maltese society as a whole is the outright winner. An inclusive society making the Maltese nation a just and equal reality.
Julia Farrugia Portelli is Minister for Inclusion, Voluntary Organisations and Consumer Rights.