Galway protest against health cuts

A planned protest against cuts to care for the disabled will go ahead in Galway this afternoon.

It follows a statement last night by the HSE saying there would be no further cuts to the Brothers of Charity budget.

The centre provides respite care to families of disabled people.

But the group Hope for Disability, which represents disabled adults and children in Galway city and county, says that their services still face dire cuts.

"Last Friday at a service review meeting the HSE in Galway announced to the Brothers of Charity management that they were short €15.5m in their budget for 2010," spokesman Eamon Walsh said.

According to Mr Walsh the HSE said they would be passing on a cut of €4m to disability services in the county.

"It is very clear that there will be further cuts to disability services in Galway," Mr Walsh said.