This article is from page 11 of the 2013-05-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 11 JPG
DISABLED people in Clare are preparing to wage war on the Government in an effort to protect themselves from “the big squeeze” which many believe is coming their way this year.
A public meeting will take place in Ennis on Friday, May 24, and disability activists are hoping to send out the message to government that disabled people living in rural areas will not be swept under the carpet.
According to co-organiser Anne Marie Flanaghan, many disable people in Clare have in the past been too scared to stand up to the Government – for fear of being given even deeper cuts.
“We are seen as a quite group in society who can be easily targetted. There are disabled people in a position to speak out, so that is why it is important for everyone who can and the family of friends of disabled people – to speak out now,” she said.
“There are a lot of disabled people in Clare who are scared. People are on the very fringes of society already and they are afraid that if we speak out that we be cut even more – that is a horrible siuation to be in.”
Clare disabled people have seen a cuts to their Personal Assistant Services and are currently bracing themselves for cuts to the Mobility Allowance and the Motorised Transport Grant.
Meeting co-organiser Dermot Hayes believes that the time has come for disabled Clare people to take the fight to the Government.
“For people to live independently you need to be able to get out and about. Disabled people are not living in any kind of luxury; we are just about surviving,” said organiser Dermot Hayes.
“There is a feeling that there is a big squeeze coming down the road for disabled people. There are sneaky cuts, and you don’t realise how much of an impact they have until they are gone.”
The public meeting will take place on Friday, May 24, at the West County Hotel in Ennis. All people with disabilities, their families, friends and interested citizens are asked to attend.