People who have neurological conditions have been failed by the Government, a charity has claimed.

Some 23 disability and health agencies are to have their state funding restored, for at least a year, following a climb-down by the Government on the controversial cuts which would have resulted in many vital services shutting their doors.

Environment Minister Alan Kelly has been urged to make an "immediate statement" on how he intends to address the problems faced by 26 voluntary disability and health groups who have lost their state funding.

Twenty-six voluntary bodies in the health and disability sector are in jeopardy in a debacle over funding.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been asked to intervene to save 26 voluntary organisations in the health and disability sector after it emerged their funding was halted by former Environment Minister Phil Hogan without consulting his colleague with responsibility in the area.

Cuts to disability charities of €1.2m in funding must be urgently reversed, the Taoiseach has been told.

People with severe brain conditions are five times less likely to be able to access help now than they were three years ago as a result of the Government’s ongoing austerity policies.

Children and adults with serious brain conditions are waiting years for treatment, seeing vital state supports axed, and are increasingly seeking help privately because they have lost faith in the public system.

Nearly every other day brings another damning report about the crisis eating at the heart of our health services.

Thousands of people with severe brain injuries face dangerously long delays to access “overstretched” services that fall “far below what would be expected in a developed country”.

More than 160 seriously ill patients are being forced to wait over six months for vital brain surgery — at a time when Ireland is hosting a major conference on how to prioritise the service.

Thousands of Irish people each year cannot access health facilities to cope with the effects of serious neurological conditions.

We welcome the Oireachtas Justice Committee initiative under Deputy David Stanton to hear from interested parties on legal capacity prior to publication of this important bill.

WITH every area of neurological care in Ireland understaffed, the Neurological Alliance of Ireland is warning that time is running out to tackle the crisis.

PEOPLE suffering from Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and potential brain tumours are being forced to wait up to three years for an outpatient neurology appointment.

HUNDREDS of thousands of patients suffering from serious brain injuries like stroke, epilepsy, dementia and alzheimer’s are being forced to wait up to three years for routine appointments.

THE Health Strategy outlined in 2001 is in tatters. It promised an action plan for rehabilitation and physiotherapy, as well psychological assessment for thousands of people with neurological conditions, but six years later the plan has still not been implemented.

THE Government has admitted that it needs more time to address Ireland’s chronic shortage of neurologists — a problem first identified three years ago.

PATIENTS with potentially lethal brain disorders have to wait up to two years for specialist treatment because of a chronic shortage of neurologists in Ireland.

PATIENTS with brain disorders are still waiting up to two years to see a consultant despite a promise three years ago by the Health Minister to address the shortage of neurologists.