Over 250 people marched on the Dáil on World Sight Day, 13th October, as VISPA (the Vision Impaired Service Providers Alliance) called on Government to impose no further cuts on people who are blind or vision impaired in the next Budget. Representatives from the crowd handed in a letter to the Taoiseach, on behalf of the 224,000 people who live with sight loss in Ireland. The group also called on Government to ensure that service providers for people with sight loss suffer no further cuts to their budgets.

“The cost for blind people of the cut imposed last year was incalculable – we know it meant that many had to go without, that they had to give up supports that made life bearable. It has to be reversed,” explained VISPA Chairman, Des Kenny.

VISPA is made up of NCBI, Fighting Blindness, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and St. Joseph’s Centre for the Visually Impaired, providing it with a unique insight into the pressures on people with sight loss across the country. It has urged the Government to make good on its promises made earlier this year.

“The Programme for Government stated that its goal is to ensure that “the quality of life of people with disabilities is enhanced and that resources allocated reach the people who need them,”” said Des Kenny. “We are challenging the Government to engage with us to make sure that this happens. With over 224,000 people living with sight loss we believe this is a voice that cannot be ignored.”