“Last week I joined the protest outside Leinster House at disability and respite care cutbacks. The people at the front line need to be protected. It was shocking to see some of the most vulnerable members of our community having to take to the streets of our country to highlight this issue. These vital services need to be reopened without any further delay. The government need to be more than just onlookers they need to be proactive and they need to show leadership.”
“There has been media reports in recent days about salaries for some senior staff in voluntary bodies. Where issues exist in relation to directors and senior staff salaries for charities and voluntary bodies, then I believe this issue needs to be dealt with separate to the actual service provision. The bottom line in this is that the people most dependent on these services should not be suffering for what may be generous salaries and fee structures.”
“I saw one young person who was dependent on these services outside Leinster House last week protesting with a sign which read, “The HSE have taken my bed away.” It’s appalling in this day and age that anyone would have to take to the streets like that to get what is rightfully theirs.”
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