A major boost for people with disabilities throughout the EU would be provided if one million signatures were accumulated for presentation to the European Commission on October 4th next.

This was stated by Independent MEP Marian Harkin following a meeting with Irish representatives of ‘The Freedom Drive’ who travelled to Strasbourg to lobby members of the European Parliament this week.

She stressed the importance of ensuring that the issues of disability remained on the agenda of all MEPs into the future.  “I agree with the proposal that people with disabilities should be facilitated to have the Personal Assistants which will give them the independence and quality of life they deserve”, Marian Harkin said.

The motto of the ‘Freedom Drive’ participants ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ reflected the aim of disability campaigners that they should be involved in designing the services they needed, she said.  She urged members of the public to support the demand for an EU Directive on disability.   “Everybody can participate in the creation of the one million signature target to be presented to the European Commission on October 4th by signing in support of the demand for a special directive and this can be done on-line at: www.1million4disability.eu, she said.

The Independent MEP will be facilitating, 24 representatives of disability groups from the North and West constituency to attend the presentation of the 1 million signatures in Brussels on October 4th.