Local Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley has said that “Budget 2024 has starved disability services in Laois and Offaly of funding.”
Referring to a Sinn Féin Dáil motion on the issue, Deputy Stanley urged TDs in Laois and Offaly to stand up for people with disabilities in their constituency, and to support the call for government to address this funding failure.
Brian Stanley said: “Budget 2024 failed people with disabilities and their families.
“It is a disaster for disability services. This failure must now be fixed.
“People living with disabilities and their families in Laois and Offaly must have their voices heard, and those elected to represent them need to stand up for them and ensure that the services they need are properly funded.”
Stanley claimed that the government has the money to sort out these problems and he urged the government to looks after vulnerable citizens and give funding to the vital services they need.
He said: “In our proposals Sinn Féin is calling on government to revise the budgetary provisions for disability services so that new monies available for improvements amount to at least €155 million next year and separately to ensure that the costs of disability and running disability services are properly provided for.
“This is in contrast to a Government budget allocation of just €64m additional spending.”
Stanley called on the government to publish a fully costed Disability Action Plan to match the needs of people with disabilities.
He said: “The government needs to start listening, and right the wrongs of Budget 2024.
“Sinn Féin will continue to fight for people with disabilities and their families, so that the services they need are both accessible and properly funded.”
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