A much-anticipated meeting between the Monaghan parents of children with special needs and the Minister of Disabilities will not go ahead.
A delegation from local support group Special Needs Active Parents - or SNAP - had planned to travel to the Dáil to meet with Minister Anne Rabbitte on April 18th. The meeting, which was supposed to be organised by Monaghan Sinn Féin TD, Matt Carthy. However, word just reached the members of SNAP today that the Minister cannot meet with them.
Paddy McAloon has two children with additional needs. He described his deep disappointment and frustration at this latest setback and appeals to all local politicians to work together on this issue: "We're just after getting word that the meeting that we had hoped was happening on 18th, which, Matt Carthy organised with the ministers would be attending up in Dublin including Minister Rabitte is now not going to happen because they're not available," Paddy told Northern Sound, "It's very disappointing for us as parents that this isn't happening. We think they should be giving us a bit of time. We're down here on our knees begging for services that we should have."
