PEOPLE WITH Disabilities in Ireland (PwDI) was established in 2000 as an umbrella organisation to bring people together to work on common issues affecting the disabled community.
It was widely seen as replacing the Irish Council for People with Disabilities, an organisation which ceased operating following controversy over financial issues and the dismissal of a senior employee.
The issues were the subject of High Court proceedings which were later settled out of court.
PwDI describes itself as an organisation which aims to help all people with disabilities to take part in and influence the decision-making process that impacts on their lives and opportunities.
“Equality, human rights and the dignity of people with disabilities are on the top of our agenda and we will make sure that the voice of the 400,000 disabled people in Ireland is heard loud and clear,” the organisation says in its mission statement.
The organisation has six paid employees in its national office and a much wider network of volunteers in every county. Some of these locally based members are employed in State-funded employment schemes.
PwDI members in each county elect a network committee, which usually has 10 to 15 members. These committees organise activities at county level and elect members to the national 26-member board. “Our strength lies in our members and in the local networks. They make it possible for PwDI to focus on matters that affect people with disabilities in their day-to-day lives,” the organisation says.
An independent review of the organisation conducted around five years ago said there was a considerable gap between its potential and actual value to people with disabilities. It also raised concerns over the effectiveness of the operation of corporate governance structures, while the national office lacked systems to provide support to an organisation that was dependant on volunteers.
The chief executive of PwDI says all of the recommendations were acted on and that the organisation has played a crucial role in highlighting issues affecting people with disabilities.