LINDA O'SHEA FARREN,
Madam, - Mark Hennessy's pieces of January 27th and 28th highlighted how cruelly funding cuts are affecting people with disabilities. Even the funding for the European Year of People with Disabilities itself, which was launched by the Taoiseach on Tuesday as patron, is an issue. The EU agreed to contribute €200,000 provided the Irish Government matched these funds. Most governments more than matched their EU funds and the Irish government agreed to give €800,000 in addition to the required €200,000 matching funds.
But there was no line in the budget for this funding. So, the National Disability Authority (NDA) has been "asked" to find the €800,000 in its own budget. What other plans and projects for people with disabilities that the NDA had for that €800,000 are now going to be cut in order to save the Government's face? Isn't the NDA an independent agency set up to represent people with disabilities, so why is it not protesting? In addition, it is not even clear whether the basic €200,000 matching funds to be provided by the Irish Government is forthcoming and, if so, whose pocket that is coming from.
Yet another PR opportunity for the Government in the area of disability where it has not shone (particularly in not providing the promised rights-based disability legislation); but this time the funding for their publicity (and the Taoiseach's , as patron) is coming from the pockets of people with disabilities themselves, so to speak. - Yours, etc.
LINDA O'SHEA FARREN,
Raglan Road,
Dublin 4.