Cllr Kelly
said;
"These new
cutbacks affect three very important grants: the housing adaptation grant for
people with a disability, housing aid for older people and the mobility aids
grant. These grants exist so that people
can avoid going into residential care. As
well as benefiting the recipients, the grants have also benefitted the state by
stopping our residential care units from being over-ran. Spending on the grants has halved over the
past three years showing this governments monumental lack of vision and concern
for the well being of our most vulnerable citizens."
"On top of
this, Fine Gael and Labour attempted to sneak these changes in under the
radar. These changes were not announced
in the budget and local authorities were only informed to make them effective
from last Monday."
"Applicants
for the housing aid grant for older people will now have to be at least 66
years old rather than 60 and the maximum grant amount has been cut from €10,000
to €8000. Income bands for the grants
are also being reduced so those in the lowest band of €30,000 per annum or less
will now have to contribute 5% of the costs themselves. Of course many will not be able to afford
this and will be forced into state care."
"This
government has also been responsible for restricting old peoples access to Fair
Deal nursing home beds so what we are faced with here is an already stressed
system being unable to deal with a greatly increased amount of patients looking
for beds. This is a callous cut and I
would call upon Ministers Howlin and Kehoe, and Deputy Twomey to make their
voices of opposition heard within the Dail immediately. They cannot stand over something that so
blatantly disrupts the lives of the elderly and disabled of County
Wexford."
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