Plea not to hit the blind with further budget cuts

THE Government has been asked not to impose budget cuts which will further impact on the blind, as it emerged there could be a 20% increase in the number of people suffering from a vision impairment by 2020.

The Visually Impaired Service Providers Alliance (VISPA) yesterday marched to the Dáil to hand in a letter to Taoiseach Enda Kenny on behalf of the 224,000 people suffering from sight loss across the country.

As well as calling on Mr Kenny’s Cabinet not to impose any further cuts on people who are blind or vision impaired in the next budget, the document also asked the Government to ensure service providers for people with sight loss suffer no further cuts to their budgets.

“The cost for blind people of the cut imposed last year was incalculable,” a VISPA spokesperson said. “We know it meant that many had to go without, that they had to give up supports that made life bearable. It has to be reversed.”

VISPA is made up of National Council for the Blind of Ireland, Fighting Blindness, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and St Joseph’s Centre for the Visually Impaired.

“The Programme for Government stated that its goal is to ensure that “the quality of life of people with disabilities is enhanced and that resources allocated reach the people who need them,” a spokesperson said.

“We are challenging the Government to engage with us to make sure that this happens. With over 200,000 people suffering with sight loss we believe this is a voice that cannot be ignored.”