Four hundred and fifty children and adults with intellectual disabilities and their families in Co Galway will suffer extreme hardship as a result of a €1 million shortfall in the funding made available by the Government to the organisation caring for them, The Galway Association.
According to SIPTU, which represents many of the 400 staff, the level of resources allocated to the association is €20,000 per week short of meeting the running costs of existing services.
SIPTU official Ms Diane Jackson said the Government had made no allocation to cater for the increasing number of people in the care of the association or to develop new services or to meet the changing requirements of the intellectually disabled and their more demanding needs.
"The effects of these cutbacks will result in children being sent home to their parents for at least one weekend in a month and for long weekends, for Christmas and at Easter." She said the weekly service was to be reduced by 702 hours, which would have a major impact on the care of the disabled.
Other cutbacks are to take place in transport and other activities for the development of services.
She added: "We understand that families may be asked to contribute towards transport costs and other costs associated with the care of their children.
"This is totally unacceptable when some of these families may have no income other than the old age pension.
"This will place enormous pressure on parents and families, particularly on ageing parents who will find it extremely difficult to care for their child."
Ms Jackson added: "The Government have adopted an extremely hard line on one of the most vulnerable groups in our society.
"They did not even provide funding for emergencies, which will inevitably arise when a parent is no longer able to look after their child or in the event of their death.
"We are demanding action to ensure that these people do not suffer undue hardship."