RYP writes:

I am writing about a protest planned for this afternoon. I work on the lower rungs of an organisation that provides community based Day, Residential and Support Services for more than 250 adults with an intellectual disability and their families in various locations throughout County Kerry.

The majority of funding for this organisation is provided by the HSE. Over the last four years the HSE have been cutting the budget of this organisation. Despite various discomforts caused by these cuts the organisation has managed to stay afloat, but news has surfaced that there will be a further 5 per cent cut in the near future.

This cut, if implemented, will have a detrimental effect on the organisation. It will have a severe effect on the services that the organisation provides and on the lives of the service users and their families.

Similar cuts are taking place in similar organisations around the country and the government is not constitutionally obliged to provide these services to the intellectually disabled. The demonstration on Wednesday is intended to highlight the constitutional vulnerability of this minority.

The demonstration will not be aimed at any political party specifically. But I would like to say the following (as my own personal view, it must be stressed.) I find it odd that Fine Gael, the mainstream party that appears to be representing the ‘Pro-Lifers’ in the current abortion debate, are also implementing cuts that will seriously affect those born with an intellectual and/or physical disability.

If you are willing to spread the word that would be great. The demonstration is taking place today in Dublin starting at the Central Bank at 2pm. All are welcome.

Protest (Disability Rights Coalition)