Campaigners for the rights of the disabled haved rejected the Government's U-turn on the Disability Bill, and have called instead for its withdrawal and replacement by "proper" rights-based legislation.
Several hundred people, including numerous politicians from the opposition parties, attended a rally on the issue in Dublin last night.
Ms Kathryn Sinnot, who sued the State to win education for her autistic son, said the Bill was still unacceptable, even after the changes announced by the Minister of State for Justice and Equality, Ms Mary Wallace.
The Bill was not capable of amendment because it gave no rights to people with disabilities, she said. Ms Sinnot called on the Government to rewrite the proposed legislation.
Asked whether she intended to stand as a single-issue candidate in the election she said "she was very close to doing so".
Ms Deirdre Carroll of the National Association for the Mentally Handicapped of Ireland (NAMHI), criticised Ms Wallace for the manner in which the changes to the Bill were announced, just hours before last night's rally.
According to Mr Donal Toolan, of the Forum for People With Disabilities, the changes provided a basis for further negotiation. But it still wasn't clear how the rights of people with disabilities would be vindicated in legislation.
The Labour leader, Mr Ruairí Quinn, said, "it's the Constitution that needs to be changed, not the Bill." Labour has promised that a commitment to rights-based legislation will form part of any programme for government it is prepared to endorse after the election.
Ms Frieda Finlay of NAMHI described the Bill as "an insult". Responding to the Minister's offer of consultation, she said "we're not going to write anybody's bill".
The Disability Bill shows the Government's "utter contempt" for people with a disability, their families and the Constitution, the meeting was told.
Accusing the Government of engaging in "aspirational rhetoric" over the past decade, Ms Sinnot claimed it was consigning people with disabilities to a daily experience of grinding neglect.
"We now know beyond a doubt not only that the Government holds us in contempt but that they seek to formalise this contempt by fixing the position of the disabled and their families in a legal status beneath personhood, out of reach of constitutional protection."
She linked the bill to recent victories by the State over disability campaigners in the High Court and Supreme Court. Whatever it took, the disabled and their families were going to be respected and and recognised and vindicated, she said. "Never again are we going to be ignored."
