General Election candidates to meet Tipperary disability groups on 31st January
A group of well-known disability charities who form The Disability Action Coalition, are inviting all General Election candidates in Tipperary to an important meeting in Irish Wheelchair Association’s service in Tipperary Town where they will be asked to commit to secure funding for disability services by the next Government.
The Tipperary meeting is only one of a number taking place nationwide in a Day of Action being organised by disability charities to highlight the crisis of funding in the sector.
The Tipperary Town meeting will be hosted by Irish Wheelchair Association and will be attended by staff, people using local disability services and supporters.
It will take place at 11am on Friday January 31st 2020 in Irish Wheelchair Association, Brodeen, Cashel Road, Tipperary Town.
“We in the Disability Action Coalition are pressing all candidates and political parties to recognise that our services are in crisis due to underfunding”, said Liam Saunders, Area Manager.
“The severe cuts in our funding which were made during the recession have not been restored. This means that many of our members are in deficit, and we want this tackled. We are also dealing with the high cost of regulation and sky rocketing insurance. Pay cuts have not been restored, making it difficult to recruit staff”, he said.
“This means that our services are struggling and the entire sector is in crisis. Now, the HSE is telling us of their plans to cut another €20m from the disability budget in 2020. This is not acceptable, and we want a commitment from candidates that they will support the services we provide for many of the most vulnerable citizens in this constituency,” said Mr Saunders.
Families of people using any disability service in the county are invited to attend the meeting and have their voice heard.
All candidates will be asked to pledge to resolve the problem of deficits being faced by many disability service providers, to full pay restoration, and to a secure funding model for the future.
