The Forum of Maltese Unions yesterday urged the government to reconsider its decision to cut funds that have forced Inspire to stop providing certain vital services.

Such austerity measures do not make sense

Forum said it was shocked by the news, which “really hurt those who hold less fortunate people close to their heart”.

Government funding to Inspire dropped in 2010 when it was decided that direct therapy expenses were outside the education budget and should be paid for by the Health Department.

This year, the Education Ministry provided the NGO with €800,000 to cover the educational expenses of 250 children. However, the Health Department did not fork out funds for therapy, including speech and occupational therapy and physiotherapy.

The department recently contracted Inspire to provide occupational therapy services to the Child Development Assessment Unit.

However, the government capped the budget for this service at €37,000, an amount that would only allow for eight therapy sessions per child.

Forum said it had already expressed its concern about the cut in the health, social services and education sectors. Such austerity measures did not make sense, it said.

The government was making use of Inspire’s services and the €190,000 the charitable organisation needed for its programme was not an enormous sum, Forum added.

The Down Syndrome Association has also urged the government to reverse the decision.

It said it was shameful to take from the “most needy” and let others “become wealthier and continue to have ultra-comfortable lives at the expense of disabled people”.

Disabled people, especially those with intellectual disability, were the most vulnerable and required professional help to learn life skills and lead as independent a life as possible, the association said.