The following is the text of a rather depressing email sent to NCBI chief executive, Des Kenny. Its sentiments are being echoed by many disabled people across the country.

Hi Des,

I’m feeling rather down these days. I’m not asking for my input this year into any NCBI pre-budget submissions regarding the blind pension, but then, how silly of me! How could any of the erudite mandarins of the Department of Finance be expected to understand the incoherent gibberish of a partially-sighted cripple (I also have to use a wheel-chair, as you remember).
Seriously, though, I am feeling suicidal. Life is becoming unbearable. I have nothing to look forward to except the same penurious frustration. Nothing I do or have done has any value or importance. Each day I have to listen to “specialists” and “experts” who earn in a year far more than I can ever hope to earn in my life time, who say that the country’s ills can best be solved by further reductions in the penurious pittance I receive.
I am, along with all other welfare recipients, such a worthless and valueless person. There are some who might see my demise as a laudable act of patriotism. I would be accepting that my continued existence would only be a burden on the state, at a time when it has far more pressing burdens. But who am I kidding? Most people wouldn’t even notice.
But don’t worry, Des. I’m too much of a coward to commit suicide. Instead I have to live with the feelings of worthlessness and can do nothing about them. I can write on my blog, but who reads that? I could write to politicians who may or may not reply and who in general are too conceited to listen. The killing part is the fear that things will only get worse.

Take care,
Don’t worry about me I’m safe and look forward to living in penury.