Health budget cut - A two-year wait for help

ENABLE IRELAND tell us today about 3,000 children who suffer with multiple disabilities and who depend on early intervention, if they are to realise their potential, are waiting up to two years for essential therapies.

In the face of this, Enable Ireland, like so many other organisations across the country, has had its 2009 budget cut for a second time.

Enable Ireland works with 3,273 children across the country and it is a terrible pity that the service they provide might be curtailed. It will undoubtedly cause great disappointment for the families of these children.

The reality is that Enable Ireland will not be the only entirely praiseworthy organisation in this situation. It will not be the only one that will not be able to do what should be done or even what needs to be done.

Yesterday, Richard Burton said that the April 7 budget must be about more than making figures add up. He said it must be the first step towards reshaping this country to allow us meet our obligations to everyone, including the children served by Enable Ireland.

How right he was.