Disability charities and funding cuts

Sir, Further to Fintan O'Toole's article "Latest cuts for coalface charities simply crass stupidity", (Opinion & Analysis, July 15th), it would appear that small charities have become victims in the "who funds what" battle between departments. The groups affected are run on a shoestring and are possibly the most efficient organisations in this country in terms of their financial management.

These small groups offer a vital service to small numbers of people with disabilities. If their funding is cut, then the voices of those that they represent are silenced. I would appeal to the Government to allow small charities to continue to do so much with so little. – Yours, etc,

ALICE O’DONNELL,

Dromont,

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Delgany,

Co Wicklow.

Sir, – I note that the Taoiseach says that small charities can "avail of a formal process of appeal" about the sudden, unilateral and devastating loss of their funding ("Disability charities can appeal funding cuts, says Kenny", July 15th). Appeal to whom? It turns out the appeal is to Pobal, the very body making these cuts.

The Neurological Alliance of Ireland (NAI) is an umbrella organisation coordinating and advocating for its 31 member organisations. These organisations serve and represent people experiencing various types of disadvantage because of their neurological disability. Eleven of these organisations have also suffered funding cuts without any explanation or rationale.

NAI has worked energetically with the State in good faith to design and develop neuro-rehabilitation services in Ireland – services which hardly exist here, but are taken for granted elsewhere in the EU. Without such services, many people with neurological disability are left to rely on the more costly emergency and acute services as their condition progresses. This costs the State (and families) much more than would otherwise be the case.

The research literature shows that the the absence of rehabilitation services costs more than the price of providing them. NAI is ideally placed to draw on the detailed expertise and geographical knowledge of its member organisations and partner dynamically with the State as required. NAI is regularly told by the State how its expertise is valued — as in the 2011 neuro-rehabilitation strategy report. If these cuts go ahead, NAI will cease to exist.

After all our hard work, we now know how much we are really valued – zero. I hope this embarrassing saga is brought to an end to an end without putting us through further humiliation. Then we can get back to building a better Ireland. An apology would ease the pain a bit too. Fintan O’Toole is right. It is crass stupidity indeed! – Yours, etc,

ALEXIS DONNELLY,

Park Drive,

Ranelagh,

Dublin 6.