Too costly?

Is caring too costly for Government?

“Western Care is not the cause of the over-spend and,
as you will see, we have balanced our budget each year through local efficiencies and good housekeeping.”

Áine Ryan

WESTERN CARE Association may be one of County Mayo’s big success stories but the downturn in the economy means that it will now have to fight hard to maintain its level of services. That was the grim news that Executive Director, John O’Dea, told the organisation’s AGM in Castlebar last week.
“I would like to be optimistic in relation to 2008, but I have no reason to be at the moment,” were his ominous opening words.
 “There are three areas of major financial concern from a financial perspective. Firstly our core budget at the commencement of the year is inadequate to maintain services at last year’s level. Secondly, it is not clear if Development Funds already announced for 2008 will now be delivered, either in part, or at all. Thirdly, we have been advised by the HSE last week that our core budget is to be cut by a further one per cent under the heading of ‘Efficiency Savings’,” explained Mr O’Dea.
“The reasons for all of these cutbacks and shortfalls is because the HSE is over-spent in other service areas,” he added, tellingly.
Mr O’Dea argued that since ‘disability services’ were ‘not over-spent’ they should ‘not have to bail out other areas outside’ of that sector. 
“Western Care is not the cause of the over-spend and, as you will see, we have balanced our budget each year through local efficiencies and good housekeeping,”
He warned that this  ‘was the commitment of Government at election time and again in the budget in December last’.
“All the voluntary agencies in Disability are coming together to protect the services and this campaign will be intensified over the Summer,” he continued.
Stressing that this was a national decision by the HSE, he said that HSE management in Mayo was very sympathetic to Western Care’s situation.
Urging Minister Mary Harney to re-think the proposed cutbacks, Mr O’Dea observed: “It is ironic that while Ireland remains one of the wealthiest nations in the world, that, at the first hint of economic downturn, that people with disabilities are the first to lose out.”

Launch of Strategic Plan 2008-2010

WESTERN CARE’S Strategic Plan 2008-2010 is underpinned and activated by the organisation’s mission statement and values, according to Director of Services, Bernard O’Regan.
 It states: “Western Care Association exists to empower people with a wide range of learning and associated disabilities in Mayo to live full and satisfied lives as equal citizens. We achieve this through the provision of a comprehensive range of innovative services and supports.”
The organisation is composed of parents and family members, service users, staff, supporters and volunteers. It is committed to: supporting service users in making choices; community-based services; partnership with families and service-users; the vital input of volunteers and friends; the principle of accountability; pursuit of equality of access and full service for all.
Succinctly summarising the ambitious plan, at last week’s meeting, Mr O’Regan said: “Ultimately we are here to support people with disabilities.”

Spirit of Volunteerism

THE  fitting and moving inclusion of a DVD, during last week’s proceedings, on the wonderful spirit of volunteerism that permeates this voluntary organisation encapsulated the significance of individual commitment, on every level.
Volunteer Co-ordinator, Ms Noreen McGarry explained to the hundreds of attendees, that the DVD clearly demonstrated ‘the impact that volunteering can have on the quality of people’s lives’.
“We started by asking people in our services what they would like to do if a suitable volunteer was available. While people had a vast range of ideas, the bottom-line was they simply wanted to join in with the same things as everyone else,” said Noreen McGarry.
A common theme in all the stories told by service-users and volunteers was that this relationship became a reciprocal one, where both parties had something to learn.
Dorothy, a parent of a service-user, admitted that her initial reservations were quickly assuaged.
“When I first heard that Paul [her son] was going to have a Volunteer, I was a bit concerned that they might not get on with each other or  that the Volunteer might not understand Paul. Having a Volunteer has added a new dimension to Paul’s life, by that I mean the things we all take for granted, like having a friend calling for tea and a chat, going shopping, going bowling, or going for a pint together,” she said.
Or, as Paul puts it: “Harry is my friend. I love going out with him and being able to phone him up for a chat.”