Disability Federation of Ireland Newsletter OCTOBER 2008

DFI held its annual Pre-Budget Discussion Forum in the Mansion House on 2nd October 2008. DFI highlighted the fact that €53m of allocated funding for disability and mental health services has been taken by the HSE and diverted to other areas during 2007 according to the Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, and further funding has been diverted this year.

John Dolan, Chief Executive of DFI, noted ‘ the Government’s strong action to act as guarantor to the banking and commercial sector’ . He said that

Government does not run the banks yet it considered it necessary to come to their aid in the interest of the country. It is time that they take similar action and guarantee that disabled people get back the funding that it allocated to them”.

DFI reminded Government that they have a commitment to prioritise disability and therefore its resources need to be protected. Government was urged to continue the multi-annual investment programme, to ensure that the HSE cannot take allocated funding for other programmes, and to resource and support capacity building work of the sector to deliver the National Disability Strategy.

John Dolan CEO