Care crisis: 'I was just sitting at home, all day, every day' without a personal assistant

Irish Wheelchair Association service users tell Niamh Griffin of their anger, distress, and confusion about the forthcoming strike — but say they support the Section 39 staff bid for pay parity

Paul MacGuinness lives with cerebellar ataxia and has been funded for a personal assistant but says ‘they can’t seem to employ anyone — probably because of the pay’. Picture: Dan Linehan

Anger, distress and confusion — these are the reactions of people with disabilities in Cork who face losing assistants, transport and day-care access if a threatened strike by HSE-funded agencies goes ahead. The strike, set for October 17, is over pay equality. 

Paul MacGuinness, 34, said the Irish Wheelchair Association centre in Mahon is his only outlet.