Draft address to Pre Budget Launch

"Our economy is experiencing a deep recession." We so often hear this but it is not an accurate description of what is happening. What is happening is that our people are experiencing a deep and deepening services withdrawal. People with disabilities, their families and carers are living every day with the loss of necessary services and income supports. And they are living with a very clear expectation and fear of much more to come in this Budget and the following one.

They are reeling from the effects of what has happened to date, expecting worse to come for the next two years at least, and to add as it were, insult to injury, all this comes hot on the heels of the Governments proclamation in the National Disability Strategy to establish

"an Ireland where people with disabilities have, to the greatest extent possible, the opportunity to live a full life with their families and as part of their local community, free from discrimination".

As night follows day it is clear to DFI that the application of the "Bord Snip Nua" menu in the forthcoming Budget would wreak havoc on the disabled people of Ireland and their families. The NDS will not be worth the paper it is written on and the reputation of this Government will be severely compromised were that to happen.