A NORTHSIDE school for blind children is seeking clarification from the HSE on whether a 5 per cent cut in its budget for the month of January will continue for the remainder of the year.
ChildVision, based on Gracepark Road, Drumcondra, is Ireland’s only school for blind children.
If the cut is replicated for the remaining 11 months of the year, there are fears that it will have a huge impact on services provided by the centre.
A spokeswoman for the HSE said their Dublin North East Regional Service Plan 2013 has yet to be agreed.
“There is currently no indication of funding to be approved for ChildVision in 2013,
? she told Northside People.
“However, in anticipation of the need to seek efficiencies and deliver services within reduced budget allocations in 2013, the HSE communicated with management of ChildVision and advised that the grant amount allocated to the organisation for the month of January 2013 would be reduced by 5 per cent.
“This reduction was being taken as a precautionary measure until the annual grant amount is confirmed as part of the Regional Service Plan and to ensure that ChildVision does not overspend in January and before the organisation’s annual core grant is confirmed.
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A spokesman for ChildVision said the organisation sought clarification as to whether the 5 per cent cut would continue for the rest of the year but have received no confirmation of this.
“Consequently we have no choice but to budget on the basis of a
?¬205,000 cut until we receive clarification,
? he told Northside People.
Dublin Bay North TD Finian McGrath (Ind) has strongly condemned the cut to ChildVision’s budget.
“This Government promised to protect the vulnerable and now they attack these children,
? said Deputy McGrath.
“This is on top of the
?¬863,000 cut in recent years. It’s a total disgrace and the silence from our Northside Government TDs is deafening.
“I will be raising it in the Dail this week and I am calling on all Northside TDs to get off the fence and support our local ChildVision Services.
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Meanwhile, ChildVision’s spokesperson wished to emphasise to parents of children who use the service that there is no immediate threat to pre-school services.
The centre, which was formerly known as St Joseph’s, was established over a century ago and provides an invaluable learning support for blind children of all ages, many of whom have multiple disabilities.