Carers march against cuts

Home help workers whose hours have been slashed in budget cuts have warned that the move threatens the welfare of the elderly and disabled.

About 200 carers, supporters, trade union members and politicians have marched from the GPO to the Dáil, where they demanded the Government, Health Minister James Reilly and the HSE reverse the austerity cutbacks.

John Lyons, of the Home Help/Home Care Action Group, said 500,000 hours of care have been cut in January, with proposals for a further reduction of 450,000 hours recently announced.