Cancer patients’ support cut - Fooled again

IT is terribly sad that the Irish Cancer Society is closing its financial support programme because it is unable to meet the demand for the service. 

The charity gave €1.8m to cancer patients facing financial hardship last year; 90% of those funds were generated by public subscription.

The society said demand has grown considerably since the economic downturn in 2008 and had become too great to satisfy.

This is all entirely understandable and predictable, especially as so many employers, private or public, have put new, less generous arrangements on sick pay in place.

Just as those who once were able to support the society generously, many employers find themselves in a new, less forgiving landscape.

There is a terrible irony in all of this.

Just as this announcement was made, political parties have been trying to outdo each other with election promises to cut USC.

How wonderful it would be if even one party said it would not cut USC but rather increase the support offered to those who had to depend on the Irish Cancer Society support.

Once again we are our own worst enemies.