The government bill on personal assistance, which has high hopes for people with disabilities, has not yet been submitted to the Parliament. – I am appealing for the last time to the government, I really am appealing with all my heart, to include this project in the Marshal's favor as soon as possible. People are simply waiting for it, we can't wait any longer, said the Speaker of the Sejm, presidential candidate Szymon Hołownia, on Wednesday.
In March, Deputy Minister of Family Łukasz Krasoń declared that work on the draft act on personal assistance was advanced. He said then that the ministry would like the systemic solution to come into force in the new year and ultimately also cover people under 18 years of age. At the end of October, the Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, said that the project had been included in the government's list of legislative works and was waiting for approval by the Economic Committee of the Council of Ministers.
The Speaker of the Sejm appealed for a quick completion of work on the project at Wednesday's conference Szymon Hołownia. He said that he had talked about the matter with the most important government politicians, including the Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
– I want to say with full determination, very clearly and without raising any doubts: I expect the government to send to the Sejm a project on assistance for people with disabilities. This is our electoral obligation, this is one of the guarantees of the Third Way, this is one of the hundred specifics of PO. I think there is really nothing to wait for, he urged.
Hołownia assured that he had been working on the project “for a long time and thoroughly.” – I have done everything possible to ensure that this bill is submitted to the High Chamber as soon as possible and that the High Chamber makes a decision on this matter – he emphasized.
He also announced what he would do if the government's bill was not received. – If this project is not received, I will submit the parliamentary bill that has been prepared on this matter for consideration, and we will continue working with the presidential bill, which has already had its first reading – he said.
Szymon Hołownia at a meeting in RypinPAP/Tytus Żmijewski
The Sejm is dealing with the presidential bill
At the beginning of March, the presidential bill on personal assistance for people with disabilities was submitted to the Sejm. In October, he was directed to further work on the committee. The project assumes the availability of the service in every district for people over 18 years of age and financing from the state budget. It provides for 40 to 200 hours of personal assistance per month. Some of those directly interested believe it is insufficient.
Personal assistance is a social service of personalized support provided in a one-on-one relationship, which is necessary to lead as full an independent life as possible. Support may include self-service activities, maintaining personal hygiene, running a household, communicating with the environment, moving around and taking up life activities – social and professional. Currently, assistant services are provided as part of government programs to which local governments and non-governmental organizations can apply.
Main photo source: TVN24