HSE accused of bullying after cutting funding to an early intervention scheme
The mother of a little boy with Down Syndrome has accused the HSE of bullying - after funding for an early intervention scheme in the Louth/Meath area was cut.
The scheme - which saw teachers visit children in their homes - was run by Down Syndrome Ireland for the past 20 years.
But its future is now under threat because of funding cuts.
Natasha Byram from Ashbourne in Co Meath - her three year old son Elliot uses the service - she says the most vulnerable are targeted when schemes like this are cut: “It is a small funding in the great scheme of things and it just almost seems like before there was SNA cuts there were respite cuts and it just seems to a parent that is in that situation it is like it’s a bully system.
“It’s like they are picking on the weak ones and if you don’t give a good fight back you can be swept under the carpet.
“The same thing is happening now and when I read the email that it might be taken away it was just a kick in the stomach.”
