Áras Attracta public meeting to protest against cuts

Áras Attracta public meeting to protest against cuts


Edwin McGreal

A public meeting will be held this Wednesday in Swinford to discuss proposed cuts and closures at the Áras Attracta disability service in the town.
The Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) and Inclusion Ireland have expressed serious concern over the closures planned for the facility which, they say, will further crowd already overcrowded living quarters.
“A bungalow that was home to ten people with an intellectual disability was closed in March 2009,” said PNA Western Regional Representative Noel Giblin.
“Now management plan a second closure, again a bungalow that is home to ten people. This will force residents into already overcrowded remaining bungalows. 
“This is a cruel insult to a very vulnerable group of people. The basic right of these people to suitable accommodation is being stolen. Everyone at Aras Attracta is aware that we are facing a tough economic situation, but forcing people to live in overcrowded houses is never the answer. People’s dignity must be respected.”
Siobhan Kane, Communications and Information Officer for Inclusion Ireland, feels that Wednesday’s meeting is a chance for people to express their feelings on what she terms an ‘intolerable’ situation.
“People with no challenging behaviour are being moved to live in severe challenging behaviour units, and people with a mild intellectual disability are transferred to profound units. This has led to chronic overcrowding and intolerable living conditions,” she said.
The public meeting will be held in the Gateway Hotel, Swinford at 8.30pm tomorrow (Wednesday).
The organisers urge anyone with an interest in the issue to attend.