Action committee set-up to fight Home Help cutbacks

Action committee set-up to fight Home Help cutbacks


Anton McNulty

TRADE Unions, GP’s and Public Health Nurses have been called upon to play an active part in attempts to reverse cuts in Home Help services.
A large number of people, which included both carers and patients, attended a public meeting in the Broadhaven Bay Hotel in Belmullet to voice their frustrations at the cut-back in hours and how it will affect them.
As a result of the meeting a Home Support Services Action Committee was set up and a campaign of action will start with petitions at all churches and throughout Erris over the next week.
Sinn Féin councillor Rose Conway-Walsh who organised the meeting said there was a lot of anger, upset and distress caused by recent cuts in Home Help.
“People spoke of their own personal experiences around the impact of the cuts to their lives. They spoke about the anguish they were going through and how much they depended on those providing home help. One man said, ‘my home help is my lifeline, I know she is going to turn up each morning, so even if I feel unwell in the night, I know she will be here to take me to the doctor or just to reassure me’,” she said.
Cllr Conway-Walsh said there was a strong feeling from the meeting that the Unions, GP’s and Public Health Nurses should play an active part in trying to get the cuts reversed as soon as possible.
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Michael Ring and Cllr Michael Holmes who spoke about the representations that they made on behalf of people who had been cut and said there was a real need for people to get their hours back. Deputy Ring also sought a meeting with HSE Mangers to discuss the impact of the cuts.
The cuts are part of the budgetary measures introduced by the HSE but Cllr Conway-Walsh said they made no economic sense.