Service cuts a big worry for disabled

People with disabilities have serious concerns about cuts in services, it has emerged.
John Dolan, Chief Executive of the Disability Federation of Ireland said that the next Budget has ‘the capacity to derail’ the National Disability Strategy (NDS) – given the cuts to disability services so far, the McCarthy Report recommendations, the plan to cut up to €1 billion from health and consideration of further social welfare cuts.

“Vital services will be withdrawn, people with disabilities will be forced to do without or to become dependent on support from family and friends,” he said.
Dolan said the Government needs to put a plan in place immediately, which should have three key action areas:
l Pay levels must be considered before any consideration of reductions in services;
l All Departments and State Agencies must ‘disability proof’ all plans and services;
l A programme of active co-operation and collaboration is needed between all State and voluntary organisations.