German wheelchair user fights to begin course in UCC

A GERMAN disability activist has talked about the possibility of facing homelessness as she battles to fulfil her dream of studying in University College Cork.

Evelyne Cynk, from Bochum, was due to move to Ireland in August 2022 after accepting a place to study for a Master of Arts degree in creative writing at UCC.

She had been due to begin the following September.

She claimed at the time that a homecare provider in Germany had agreed to redirect the funds for her personal assistance (PA) services to Ireland.

However, Ms Cynk said that state-funded care provider in Germany, Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL), made a U-turn amid refusals to transfer funding for her 24-hour personal assistance to an Irish company.

Michael Harty from Homecare Direct is supporting her as she campaigns to make her transfer to Ireland possible.

Ms Cynk said she already has accommodation organised if her transfer is finally successful.

However, she is now facing possible eviction in her hometown of Bochum.

“I received an eviction notice around the time I was supposed to start my course”, she told The Echo.

“My fight to secure a place in UCC has got me in a lot of trouble, not just with Ireland, but also with my landlord.

“This is because I needed to quit my contract in order to plan my move to Ireland.

“It seemed there would be no trouble to get the funding facilitated sooner or later.

“I told my landlord this, but not with a 100% guarantee.

“Now they are unwilling to prolong my contract for a couple of more months.

“If the funding had been facilitated by the agency, then I would not be at risk of becoming homeless.”

The 35-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, benefits from 24-hour help to enjoy an independent life.

FUNDS

While she currently benefits from this support through German social security, legislation restricts her from availing of funds to pay for similar care in Ireland.

However, Ms Cynk insists that she should have the same rights as other EU citizens to move freely in member states.

She made reference to the latest European Disability Strategy, adopted in March 2021, which specifically states that “persons with disabilities should enjoy all rights on an equal basis with others, notably when moving to another member state”.

Ms Cynk has vowed to continue her fight in the face of adversity.

“It’s terrible news,” she said of the eviction notice, “but I am holding up”.

“It’s so tiring to think that I would actually have a perfect life now in Ireland if the funding was made possible.

“I have perfectly accustomed accommodation to my needs available in Ireland and a team that is ready to take this on.

“They are willing to take over my care, but basically I can’t move and am forced to deal with the situation of homelessness and an additional cost, which I don’t have the capacity for.”

She described the disruption this has caused to her life.

“My savings were planned for, as was my movement, my relocation, and my college fees,” she said.

“I believe there should be some sort of accountability, but that hasn’t come around.

“If this hadn’t been going on for so long, I wouldn’t be in the situation I’m in now.

“The European Parliament could work towards a solution in the long term to get funding settled or change the legal framework, but nothing is being done.”

Founder of Home Care Direct, Michael Harty, who has been advocating for Ms Cynk, said that she should be able to pursue the same opportunities as any other EU citizen.

“There are so many people being encouraged to avail of the Erasmus programme,” he said. “This shouldn’t be any different for any person with a disability. Equally, if an Irish citizen wanted to study abroad, it would only be right to provide them with the same opportunities.”

Ms Cynk has also started a GoFundMe page in an attempt to raise PA funds.

To find out more visit www.gofundme.com/f/im-robbed-of-my-european-rights-please-support.