Cut to charity funds 'a deeply cynical move'

A move to cut funding to a number of charities is being slammed as "short term" and "ill-advised".

The comments come from Orla Hardiman, who co-founded the Neurological Alliance, which covers a number of related groups.

The Taoiseach told the Dáil yesterday that the 25 charities affected could appeal the decision.

However, Orla Hardiman says it needs to be reversed.

She said: "What we're going to take away is the small, little voice that these people with disability have. They'll have no voice.

"The weak, the vulnerable, we're taking away one of the few mechanisms that they have to make themselves heard and it's a deeply cynical move.

"Everybody should call to have this reversed immediately. The total funding for the Neurological Alliance is €60,000 a year, that's all it is."