The Budget had provided more than £18 million extra for the handicapped, the Minister of State for Justice, Equality and Law Reform said yesterday.
"Contrary to the seemingly widespread belief that people with disabilities were largely ignored in the Budget, substantial funding has been provided across Government Departments, State boards and voluntary organisations," Ms Mary Wallace said at the introduction of Disability Awareness Week.
In the Budget £7 million had been provided to run mental handicap services and £3 million to run physical disability services. But an additional £5.25 million had been provided for buildings and equipment for the mentally handicapped and an extra £3 million for the physically handicapped.
In addition, £4.3 million had already been provided by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs this year to buy equipment for people with disabilities, she said.
An extra £5 million had been allocated by the Department of Health and Children primarily to help agencies in the physical disability sector eliminate debt and buy equipment. Of that £5 million, the largest allocation of £2 million went to Rehab.
Cerebral Palsy Ireland received £1 million to clear debts and the Irish Wheelchair Association £500,000 to clear debts and develop rehabilitation services.
Ms Wallace yesterday challenged private and public businesses, bodies and authorities to say what they would do to become accessible to people with disabilities.
"I want to see this week not as an end in itself but as the beginning of a new approach in our attitudes to people with disabilities," she said.